Manchester United have made an initial approach for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Bruno Fernandes, ahead of a proposed summer swoop.
The Portuguese star has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest properties this season, having contributed 15 goals and 11 assists in 27 Primeira Liga matches for Sporting.
The 24-year-old also has 11 caps at international level and he has been tipped for a lucrative move to an elite club later in the year, with his current buy-out clause set at €100 million – as per A Bola.
United have been strongly linked with Fernandes over the last few months and according to A Bola, they have now made contact with the player’s representatives to discuss a possible transfer.
AC Milan are reportedly also chasing the Sporting talisman’s signature, but the Red Devils have made a pre-emptive strike in a bid to ensure they secure his services this summer.
If United are able to sign Fernandes, his arrival would represent a major transfer coup for the club heading into the 2019-20 campaign and a real statement of intent from head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Norwegian is expected to ring the changes at the end of the campaign, with his current squad still lacking three or four world-class players to compete at the very highest level across all competitions.
Fernandes certainly has the attributes to add a new dimension to the United line up, with his ability to dictate the pace of a game and penchant for arriving in the box and to score important goals.
Aside from Paul Pogba, the Red Devils are lacking a creative spark in the middle of the pitch at the moment and thusly, results have taken a major dip after the initial boost injection when Solskjaer was appointed in December.
United are on the verge of landing Fernandes, which would be a major step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen whether or not the club will be willing to fork out such a large fee for a player who has yet to prove himself on the biggest stage.
