Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes will be captaining the side against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League this evening.
It’s a big call from manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Fernandes only at the club since his move from Sporting Lisbon in January, but he’s shown in a short space of time that he’s a real leader on the pitch.
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The Portugal international settled instantly at United and is clearly a big character in the dressing room, with his credentials for the armband now being talked up by someone who knows him well.
Jose Chieira helped bring Fernandes to Sporting, and their scouting and recruitment expert spoke to Stretty News about the 26-year-old’s personality.
“Bruno is a true leader,” he told the Man Utd blog.
“He’s built on obvious top quality, hard work and an outstanding knowledge of the game.
“If there’s anyone able to rise to the occasion and surely put in a captain’s performance, whether you’re playing a Champions League match or some early morning training session, it’s Bruno.”
It’s clear that Chieira thinks highly of Fernandes as he explains why he has everything to be a good captain for United.
It will just be interesting to see if this is a one-off from Solskjaer or if Fernandes might end up being the ideal long-term candidate for the MUFC armband after the worrying recent dip in form from Harry Maguire.