Manchester United have successfully negotiated the arrival of Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP. Fernandes, who joins for an initial fee of €55 million, is the latest in line to make the move from Lisbon to Manchester which sees him append his name to a list featuring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.
A long-drawn saga that ebbed and flowed over a period of six months seemed to have run its race until Ed Woodward dipped into his seemingly bottomless coffers to meet Sporting’s demands.
Fernandes, who inherits the number eighteen jersey from the legendary Paul Scholes, finds himself a key component in easing the Red Devils through the transitional phase they find themselves in. The Portuguese finds himself in the right place at the right time with the race for the Champions League spots beginning to heat up.
But what exactly does the ex-Udinese man bring to this Manchester United squad?
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s tactics mean that United are set up to play on the counter. While highly potent that way, the Old Trafford based outfit struggle to create clear-cut chances against sides that surrender the ball in lieu of a more compact defensive setup.
This is where the Maia native comes into play. Fernandes, who is likely to be deployed in an advanced role within Solskjær’s system, is the glue that binds the isolated strike force with a midfield that has in recent times worn thin.
A box-to-box midfielder by trade, Fernandes adds a new weapon to Solskjær’s arsenal. The 19 cap Portugal International is Lampardesque- it is not just creativity he possesses but he is a proven goal scorer too. Last season, he registered 20 goals and 13 assists in the Primeira Liga for Sporting CP-mindboggling statistics for a midfielder.
The 25-year-old carries a mean shot about him and is not in the least afraid to let rip from range. With Rashford’s injury compounding United’s goalscoring troubles, the timing of Fernandes’ arrival could be no better.
Persistent injuries to record signing Paul Pogba have deprived Solskjær of his best creator in midfield. Although the Frenchman’s vision remains unparalleled, Fernandes’ signature would go some way in restoring a semblance of creativity in a United midfield that is sorely lacking in that aspect. The likes of Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira can only do so much and with Fernandes putting pen to paper, their United careers appear to be drawing to a close.
It appears to be seen how Bruno Fernandes will fare in the Eastlands. Taking the leap from the Portuguese league to the Premier League is never easy, especially when the fact that he is no physical phenomenon is taken into consideration. However, his talent speaks for himself and Fernandes is all set to take the Premier League by storm.
How excited are you about this signing United fans?