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What's the news?
Amid a barrage of rumors linking Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United, it has been reported that the Sporting midfielder is unlikely to move to Old Trafford this summer. Fernandes is not on top of Ole GunnarSolskjaer's wishlist, with the club prioritizing other players.
In case you missed it...
Bruno Fernandes established himself as one of the best attacking-midfielders in Europe after a stellar 2018/19 campaign. The Sporting midfielder scored 32 goals and provided 18 assists across all competitions for the Portuguese giants last season.
Fernandes was scouted by United last season and it was reported that he was close to completing a switch to Old Trafford this summer.
Amid his uncertain future, the Sporting midfielder expressed his desire to play in England by saying:
"I don't care about the transfer market. I've talked about this a lot, I don't need to talk anymore. I already said I would like to play in England. When the club decides [is when it will happen]. I'm not in charge."
Sporting CP boss Marcel Keizer also hinted that Fernandes could leave the club this summer. Keizer said,
“Everybody would like him to say.
"The situation is that he is here, but we don’t know what the future will bring."
"We know he plays very well, we know that clubs like him, so we have to see what happens"
“The job of the coach is to realise that some players will go before the end of the window. Every player can go, and we can also buy players.”
The heart of the matter...
According to Sky Sports, it is believed that a majority of speculation linking Fernandes to Manchester United have originated from Portugal - a ploy to increase the midfielder's market value.
United are targeting a midfielder this summer but Fernandes is not considered a priority at this moment. Also, recent developments suggest that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is close to completing a move from Lazio to Man United.
What's next?
With two weeks before the English transfer window shuts, United are still in the market for a centre-back and a central midfielder.
The Red Devils will face off against Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly clash later this evening, and United will be hoping to continue their winning run against Pochettino's men.
