Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba may reportedly have been behind the club’s decision to delay a transfer deal for Bruno Fernandes.
The Portugal international has been a big hit since joining Man Utd from Sporting Lisbon in January, but some fans will have been surprised he didn’t arrive earlier.
MORE: Opinion: Rather than replacing him, Bruno Fernandes can reignite Paul Pogba’s Man United career
According to the Manchester Evening News, the reason the Red Devils didn’t sign Fernandes in the summer is because of the Pogba transfer saga.
The report explains that United feel signing Fernandes earlier would have made it easier for Pogba to possibly get a move to Real Madrid, particularly with the summer transfer window closing earlier for Premier League clubs than for their European counterparts.
The MEN also suggest that MUFC may privately admit Fernandes was signed as a replacement for Pogba, though no one at the club would ever openly admit to this.
The general thrust of the piece is that Pogba’s future at Old Trafford remains in doubt, with many of United’s players seemingly of the opinion that an exit would be the best for all involved.
The former Juventus man has simply not lived up to expectations since joining United back in 2016.