One of the biggest transfer stories over the last 12 months has been the Bruno Fernandes saga. The Portugal international has been linked with a move away from Sporting Lisbon, and both Manchester City and Manchester United have been mentioned as favourites to sign the 25-year-old playmaker.
However, it seems the midfielder has chosen where he wants to play next. According to a report from The Telegraph, Bruno Fernandes has informed Sporting Lisbon he would like to join Manchester United this month. However, both clubs would need to reach an agreement for a potential transfer. That’s never easy.
According to the aforementioned report, United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, and Matt Judge, the head of corporate development, held talks with the Sporting Lisbon president, Frederico Varandas, at the club’s Stratton Street offices in London’s Mayfair on Friday morning. Sporting’s chairman remains confident there can be an agreement during the current month.
How would Bruno Fernandes fit at Manchester United?
Fernandes would fit perfectly at Manchester United. He can play all over the attacking third, but fits best playing behind the striker on the n° 10 role. That’s currently one of the biggest weaknesses on the team’s current squad. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been playing Andreas Pereira, Juan Mata or even Jesse Lingard in that position.
Needless to say, the 25-year-old Fernandes would represent an upgrade over all those options in a heartbeat.
The biggest hurdle for the completion of a potential deal is the transfer fee. Sporting were initially looking for as much as €80 million (£68.5m) for Fernandes. But United are willing to offer around £50m for the Portugal international. Fernandes has 67 goals in 133 appearances for the Portuguese club, and he seems more than ready to take the next step in his career and move to a more competitive environment.
And he has chosen Old Trafford as the place where he wants to leave a mark. Now it’s up to the clubs to strike a deal.
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