Manchester United are keen to beat Manchester City to the signing of Sporting Lisbon midfielder Bruno Fernandes, according to reports in Portugal.
However, there are contradictory reports regarding City’s interest. There have been claims that the Citizens were close to a £47m deal, but that has been dismissed this morning by sources close to the club.
Fans on Twitter are not sure what to make of the situation:
Alexis Sanchez 2.0
We never learn from it— Mid table MUFC ? (@ronluhg) 9 May 2019
Haven’t we been here before with Sanchez and Fred?
— Andy Kenyon (@rumanuu) 9 May 2019
Heard City are not interested in Bruno
— ???A_Rock_Like_Dwayne?? (@KallonKT) 9 May 2019
Still hope we can sign him as i view him as the ideal replacement for Pogba. He ticks all the boxes
— Chris Silvester (@ChrisSilveste14) 9 May 2019
Fred the Second ?
— He☠️ (@oyedejiidavid) 9 May 2019
Ofcourse they did and we fall for it same as Fred and Sanchez and that worked out brilliant for us ?
— conor mc cullagh (@scoot871) 9 May 2019
Wait and see no point getting my hopes up.
— Dyl ? (@UtdDyl) 9 May 2019
PLEASE LET THIS BE TRUE. Although my hopes aren’t high.
— weareunited (@coppa05) 9 May 2019
Just let him go city, stop overpaying for players and giving them high wages to make them join us because that’s the only reason he would join us over city.
— R⚽ᑎᗩK (@Rparekh96) 9 May 2019
? ffs Fred 2.0 incoming
— SilverMorning (@Will67103413) 9 May 2019
Supporters are justifiably concerned that this could turn out to be another situation, like with Fred or Alexis Sanchez, where they pay over the odds to secure a player ahead of their fiercest rivals.
There’s no doubt that Fernandes is a talented player, with the attacking midfielder having scored 31 goals and contributed 17 assists this campaign, but it seems clear that his club is looking for a bidding war.
If City are not interested in the 24-year-old, United should be trying to drive a hard bargain if, that is, they are looking to sign the player.