Man United: Solskjaer discusses Bruno Fernandes transfer
Manchester United have acted. Finally, after months and months of constant transfer speculation, Bruno Fernandes may be about to swap Sporting Lisbon for Old Trafford. And it’s the struggles of two players that have forced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer into the decision.
Back in the summer, Manchester United were heavily linked with Fernandes.
A day didn’t go by that one report or journalist wouldn’t claim that a deal for the Portugal international was close, that the 25-year-old would touch down at Old Trafford as their playmaker for the campaign.
Except the summer came and went with Fernandes, despite also being linked with Tottenham and Real Madrid, staying put in his home country.
Sporting had expected to leave but just about every club in Europe passed on the chance to sign him, deeming him to be too expensive.
United, however, have now changed their mind.
There’s an expectancy that Fernandes will make the move to Old Trafford this month - at long last.
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United admire Leicester’s James Maddison and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish but both players are staying at their respective clubs for now - which has led them to their plan C: Fernandes.
Initially, Solskjaer had wanted to wait until the summer transfer window before strengthening his squad.
He didn’t sign Fernandes in the summer because he was convinced that Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard would be sufficient enough.
But the struggles of the United duo have now prompted a rethink behind the scenes.
Now, United know they can’t afford to wait. They’ve been plodding along this season but the struggles of both Lingard and Mata have grown too worrying to ignore.
Lingard, in particular, has been nothing short of woeful.
Back in the summer, he was given a final warning by Solskjaer after a social media post uploaded from his Instagram account sparked outrage.
The United manager was furious and made it clear that Lingard had to improve to save his Old Trafford career.
Off the field, he’s done that. The 27-year-old has toned down his social media use and is training well.
But, on the pitch, he’s failed to live up to Solskjaer’s high expectations.
He’s not scored or registered an assist for over a year in the Premier League and, recently, was hooked at half time in the 3-1 Carabao Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Manchester City.
For a club of United’s size and stature, that simply isn’t good enough.
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And Solskjaer has realised the England international isn’t up for the task, which is why he now wants Fernandes.
Regarding Mata, and United have been disappointed with him too.
They thought the Spain international would be worth keeping back in the summer, handing him a two-year contract extension with the option of a third.
But Mata hasn’t provided a goal or assist in the league this season either.
United have been forced into going for Fernandes. In an ideal world, they’d bide their time before trying to bring Maddison or Grealish - or both - to the club at the end of the season.
But they know they can’t afford to wait and Fernandes, it seems, will be their big-money signing of the winter transfer window.