According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, Manchester United are set to face stiff competition from Paris Saint-Germain in pursuit of Sporting CP attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes during this ongoing summer transfer window. The same source has mentioned that the Red Devils remain interested in recruiting the Portuguese midfield ace in this off-season but are refusing to meet Sporting’s asking price of £55m.
Fernandes’ Majestic Campaign In The Liga NOS
The European sensation enjoyed a remarkable season at Lisboa after he put in numerous goal-scoring performances for the Portuguese giants in the last campaign. His brilliant attacking contributions helped his side attain a fourth-place finish in the Portuguese top-flight standings. Fernandes capped off an incredible season by winning the prestigious LPFP Primeira Liga Player of the Year award earlier this summer.
The Portuguese talent found the back of the net 32 times while creating 18 assists in 53 matches for Sporting across all competitions last season. He has also secured 12 international caps for Portugal and has scored once for his nation so far.
What Does The Liga NOS Midfielder’s Strengths?
Fernandes scored a lot of his goals from last season by making a lot of well-timed runs from midfield. He primarily operates as an attacking midfielder due to his knack for finding space inside the opposition penalty area.
The 24-year-old is a potent goal-threat from long-range and can also distribute the ball accurately, which makes him such a dangerous prospect in the opposition half. However, he has only proven his worth in European football for a season and so the jury is still out on whether he can consistently deliver at the highest level.
PSG’s Interest: Massive Blow For The Red Devils?
Now that PSG have entered the race to sign Fernandes, Man United face a huge stumbling block in pursuit of the Liga NOS playmaker. The French champions will have the lure of UEFA Champions League football in the upcoming campaign which the Portuguese international might find too appealing to turn down.
Thus, missing out on a consistent goal-scoring midfielder like Fernandes will be a massive blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his chances of finding success at Old Trafford next season. The former Boavista prospect would have brought a lot of quality to the Man United midfield. Hence, it will be a bitter pill to swallow for the Red Devils if they fail to recruit Fernandes this summer.
