In his recent column with The Daily Mail, Danny Murphy urged Manchester United to sign Sporting CP midfielder Bruno Fernandes when said, ‘He (Solskjaer) can concentrate now on bringing in a couple of new players to maintain the challenge [for Champions League places].
‘[They need] a forward that gives them some strength in depth so the Rashford-Martial-James triangle doesn’t have to play every week, and a midfielder in the mould of Bruno Fernandes.’
Fernandes’ Stellar Form In The Portuguese Top-Flight
Fernandes has arguably been the best player in the Liga NOS for the past couple of years. He has managed to carry his form from last season into this ongoing one. The Portuguese playmaker has made a brilliant start to this campaign after putting in numerous match-winning displays for Sporting across all competitions.
The 25-year-old has featured in 21 matches for Silas’ side this term, scoring 12 goals while providing ten assists on all fronts. He is averaging 3.7 shots, 3.1 key passes and 1.6 dribbles per game this season (stats via whoscored).
The former Boavista talent has also earned 18 senior caps for the Portuguese national side and registered one goal for his homeland in the process.
What Will The Portuguese Midfielder Bring To The Theatre Of Dreams?
Fernandes is a terrific playmaker as he can play a wide range of passes from midfield. He is an excellent distributor of the ball and has the exceptional ability to orchestrate chances out of nothing. The Portugal international is also a potent goal-threat from long range as his shots often pack a lot of venom and accuracy. At 25, he is about to embark upon the best years of his playing career, so this could be an ideal time for Man United to recruit him.
Will Fernandes Be A Good Fit For Solskjaer’s Team?
Fernandes will be a fantastic fit for the Red Devils as he carries all the ethos of what it takes to represent a top club like Man United. He has the potential to be a star player for them as long as he can cope with the physicality and high intensity of English football.
It makes a lot of sense for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to go with Danny Murphy’s suggestion and make an attempt to sign a creative midfielder like Fernandes in January.