Manchester United could sign Bruno Fernandes after Sunday
Portuguese paper A Bola has reported that Bruno Fernandes is very close to joining Manchester United, but will take part in Sunday’s Super Cup match against Benfica.
The transfer saga that has stretched throughout most of the summer transfer window might finally be coming to an end.
Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio recently confirmed that United was just one step away from sealing the transfer of the Portuguese midfielder, but no specific timeline had been mentioned.
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But now it looks like Sporting CP is keen on extracting one more match out of the 24-year-old before they allow him to travel to Manchester for a medical.
Sporting, who won the Portuguese Cup last season, will face off against league champions Benfica in the Super Cup on Sunday. Fernandes will probably take to the pitch in the green and white colors for one last time this weekend, and try to sign off his stint in Portugal with silverware.
If and when he joins United, he will become Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s third signing of the summer following Daniel James from Swansea and Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace.
The £64 million fee being reported in the media would take the club’s spending up to a total of almost £130 million.
A move for Harry Maguire could also materialize, but Leicester City has kept increasing it’s valuation of the center back, with the latest figures standing at around £90 million.
With the Premier League transfer deadline fast approaching on August 8th, it looks unlikely that United will shell out such a huge amount for the 26-year-old right after signing Fernandes.
Bruno Fernandes is known primarily for his attacking instincts as a goalscoring midfielder. He has a passing range and vision that could rival Paul Pogba’s, and will be a quality addition to United’s midfield following Ander Herrera’s departure.
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He scored and assisted a total of 31 goals in the league for Sporting last season, an astonishing return for a central midfielder. Solskjær will be hoping that his signing will take some of the midfield creative burden off Pogba’s shoulders.