” We need him in our team next season” Bruno Fernandes urges Manchester United to sign ‘excellent’ striker with 43 goals in 50

Bruno Fernandes urges Manchester United to sign ‘excellent’ striker with 43 goals in 50

Given Bruno Fernandes’ fondness for speaking out publicly about the players he admires, Manchester United supporters have been given an extra glimpse into some of the club’s summer transfer targets of late.

The Red Devils skipper could hardly be more complimentary of Joao Neves; the 19-year-old Benfica wonderkid who tends to appear almost daily in social media photographs alongside Bruno Fernandes these days.

Manchester United‘s FA Cup winning captain has opened up on his admiration for Goncalo Inacio too. Left-footed centre-half who has struck up quite an understanding with Fernandes on the international stage.

Unlike Neves and Inacio, Viktor Gyokeres will not be leading Portugal’s Euro 2024 charge alongside Fernandes. But the former Sporting Lisbon talisman is equally complementary about a man who has taken up the mantle of star man at the Estadio Jose Alvalde, firing Ruben Amorim’s side to a second Primeira Liga title in the space of three years.

“He had an excellent year in the Championship (in 2022/23). He was the second top scorer,” Fernandes tells Sport TV of Gyokeres, prolific at Coventry City and even more so at Sporting.

“His name was already mentioned, but the possibilities he had to go to the Premier League were not as ambitious as going to Sporting.”

Gyokeres was, at the time, linked with the likes of Everton and Wolves before sealing a £20 million move to Lisbon. His price-tag has increased four-fold since then, Sporting reluctant to accept any bids lower than his £86 million release clause.

“Playing in the Premier League is ambitious. But between a mid-table club and Sporting, you would probably choose Sporting, where you can be champion, play in European competitions…” Fernandes adds.

“It was the right step for him, to show an even higher level than he had shown in the Championship. He made a big difference in the title race. He gave different things to Sporting which Sporting didn’t have (before).”