Bruno Fernandes will make his 300th Manchester United appearance this weekend when the Reds host Brighton at Old Trafford, with the captain undoubtedly the club's biggest transfer success in recent years
Bruno Fernandes makes his 300th United appearance this weekend
Bruno Fernandes makes his 300th United appearance this weekend(Image: Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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In the last decade, it's hard to argue against Bruno Fernandes being Manchester United's best signing.
Many have arrived for big money. Many have duly departed. But none in that time have offered as many outstanding moments, nor value for money, as the current United captain.
This weekend, the Portuguese, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon in 2020, will lead out Ruben Amorim's men at the Theatre of Dreams and make his 300th appearance for the club. However, had it been for certain individuals at the club and one particular video nasty of Fernandes losing his temper, his move to United may never have happened.
But, countless phone calls, a private jet and the red carpet treatment - not necessarily for the player himself - ensured United got the better of Barcelona and landed their man.
Fernandes came onto United's radar in 2018, playing back in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon after a sojourn in Italy at Udinese, emerging as one of the brightest talents in the Primeira Liga. That September, the club's recruitment department and then-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided Fernandes would be an ideal addition the following summer.
However, when 2019 rolled around, Sporting didn't want to sell - and refused to name a price. United CEO Ed Woodward wouldn't be dissuaded however and continued talks with Sporting president Frederico Varandas, with whom he had a close relationship, kept a potential future deal on the table.
But a meeting at Carrington threatened to scupper a future move, as United's head of recruitment played a video to those in the room of Fernandes kicking in Sporting's dressing room door, following a red card in a match with Boavista. It caused chaos and split staff.
"The internal debate was about his temperament," a club source recalls. "That he was too hot headed. He was a risk. He couldn't control himself."
There were questions of the Portugese playmaker's temperament
There were questions of the Portugese playmaker's temperament
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However, Woodward loved it. He loves the passion, loved the will to win, the attitude. Remembering what Sir Alex Ferguson had said about wanting players to be humble off the pitch but firebrands on it, he reckoned Fernandes' attitude was perfect for the club.
And utilising his relationship with Varandas, conversations over a move swiftly became more frequent - with Fernandes increasingly keen to join United rather than Barcelona and Tottenham, who were both monitoring his progress in Portugal.
Varandas wanted close to £50million and United were desperately pushing to get a deal over the line and keep it a closely guarded secret - but news started to leak out in Lisbon. Thus, United sent a delegation to the Portuguese capital in January 2020 to get the deal done.
United were willing to go to £55m, but as the clock ticked down on the transfer window, Varandas - largely owing to his relationship with United's top brass and Fernandes' desire only to move to Manchester - accepted £47m. United had bagged what they themselves believed to be a 'bargain'.
Fernandes swiftly flew to Manchester on a private jet, accompanied by senior figures from United, and couldn't keep the smile off his face. He grew up watching United games on TV and it had been a lifelong dream for him to join the club. And it showed once he made that dream come true.
Bruno Fernandes with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on the day he joined Manchester United
Bruno Fernandes with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the day he joined Manchester United
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A club insider said: "He was very keen to come. He arrived at the training ground and he was beaming. He wanted to meet everyone and have a good look around the place. He couldn't be happier. We laid out the red carpet for him.
"He couldn't wait to get started. He looked like someone who had United's DNA inside him. And he's gone on to represent the club with distinction ever since. He's had a great attitude.
"He's been engaging with supporters, he signs so much stuff when he's asked to. He would walk into any environment and be super comfortable. He'd own the room.
"He's had a great attitude. He would run through walls for Manchester United."
On Saturday, he will do so for the 300th time.
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