According to a recent report by Correio da Manha (via the Sun and the Daily Mirror), the Manchester United board have not backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his pursuit of Sporting CP midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who is rated at £70m, during this summer transfer window.
The same source has also claimed that the Red Devils are not willing to pay more than £50m for a player who has only made six UEFA Champions League appearances thus far.
Fernandes’ Fruitful Spell In The Portuguese Top-Flight
The Portugal international enjoyed a brilliant season with Sporting CP as his outstanding goal-scoring displays steered them to a fourth-place finish in the Liga NOS table. The 24-year-old midfield ace was the best player in the Portuguese top-flight by some distance after he put in numerous match-winning performances for Sporting in the previous campaign. His rich vein of form for the Portuguese outfit saw him be honoured with the prestigious LPFP Primeira Liga Player of the Year award earlier this summer.
Fernandes scored 32 times while providing 18 assists in 53 appearances for the Liga NOS team on all fronts last season. The Sporting captain has also represented Portugal in 12 international matches and has registered one goal for his country so far.
What Does The Liga NOS Star Offer On The Pitch?
Fernandes plays his best football when he is being asked to operate in the number 10 position due to his knack for making well-timed runs from midfield. He can also take up some dangerous goal-scoring areas inside the opposition penalty box which makes him such a potent goal-threat in the final third. The Portuguese goal machine is also an accurate distributor of the ball and can create a few decent openings for others around him in the attacking end of the pitch.
Failure To Land Fernandes: Massive Blow For Solskjaer?
Thus, missing out on a prolific goal-scorer like Fernandes will be a huge blow for the Red Devils and their chances of building a successful team capable of challenging across all competitions next season. The ex-Boavista youth player could have been an ideal signing for Solskjaer as he would have significantly bolstered his attacking options at Old Trafford.
However, the Mancunian heavyweights would now have to look at some of their alternative targets if they are serious about bringing a goal-scoring midfielder to the Theatre of Dreams before the start of the new campaign.
