Liverpool have reportedly made a £40m bid to try and sign Sporting Lisbon ace and Man Utd transfer target Bruno Fernandes.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a stellar campaign last year, scoring 32 goals and providing 18 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions, while also establishing himself as a key figure for Portugal.
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In turn, coupled with the experience that he has gained in his previous spell in Serie A, Fernandes appears set to have a major role for club and country moving forward.
However, speculation has been rife over his future, and now The Mirror report, via Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, that Liverpool have made a £40m offer for the Sporting talisman.
Man Utd are specifically mentioned in the report as also being an interested party, and it certainly isn’t the first time as the Express note how they’ve been keeping tabs on Fernandes for over a month.
It’s worth noting that the Express report on how the Portuguese international has an £85m release clause in his current contract, and so Liverpool’s touted offer will surely fail as it doesn’t even come close to satisfying that fee.
Time will tell if there is official confirmation of such a bid, and whether or not it alerts Man Utd to take action, but it appears as though it could be the first step in a possible transfer scrap between the two old rivals this summer.
It’s arguably quite clear as to who needs a player of Fernandes’ quality more, as Liverpool appear well set in that department having just pushed Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race while ending last season on a high note by winning the Champions League.
In contrast, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed to secure a place at Europe’s top table for next season, and with ongoing doubts over Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford after his latest comments, as per BBC Sport, the Norwegian tactician may well need the creativity, technical quality and eye for goal that Fernandes brings to the table to help fill that void, or in a more ideal situation for him, complement what Pogba and his other midfielders offer.
