As January signings go, Bruno Fernandes surely has to be up there with the very best of them at the moment.
The Portugal international arrived in the final week of the January transfer window from Sporting CP, and has settled into life at Manchester United like a duck taking to water.
The transition has been seamless, and his signing has coincided with the Red Devils enjoying one of their best run of form in quite some time. Since seeing Fernandes join the club, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have remained unbeaten across all competitions.
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And when you look at the numbers behind his early weeks at Old Trafford, and you can quite clearly see the impressive impact he has made. In the seven total games that he has played, he has scored three times and provided a further two assists, thus averaging almost one goal contribution per match.
His all-action style of play has reinvigorated United, with his stats in the Premier League particularly encouraging. As per Whoscored, he averages 2.5 tackles per game, four shots, two key passes and 1.5 dribbles too. Despite being a new arrival, and potentially looking to ease himself into his surrounding, the £54m-rated star has just taken over the mantle and become the Red Devils’ main source of creativity and attacking verve.
But whilst Fernandes himself will no doubt receive his plaudits, United’s much-criticised figure, Ed Woodward, should also be given his fair dues too. The club’s executive vice-chairman has been derided by the fan-base for a long time now, and has taken the brunt of the attack for some of the things that have gone wrong at Old Trafford.
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Equally, he should also be praised for whenever he gets something absolutely right. And he did just that in the deal to sign Bruno. Numerous factors were in play for United to have to negotiate around, with reports claiming Sporting moved the goalposts in terms of their valuation of the midfielder, clauses involving money owed to his agent, and even the issue of time simply running out.
In the end, United and Woodward worked their way around it by paying less up front, and then including significant money being payable depending on add-ons and clauses.
If the Portuguese star continues like he has started then the additional money will feel like nothing. If he doesn’t, then United have ensured they haven’t completely broken the bank either.
Woodward deserves a lot of credit for sealing the best possible deal for a player who is beginning to pay off big-time for United. He refused to get bullied, and asserted the Red Devils’ dominance. And Fernandes is proving him right.
Meanwhile, this former Man Utd target is having a nightmare season.