Former Manchester United coach Mike Phelan has opened up about the scouting expedition that led to Bruno Fernandes’ arrival at Old Trafford. The Red Devils were looking for a creative midfielder to help their team reach a higher level when they focused on the Portuguese maestro.
Fernandes had begun to make a name for himself at Sporting Clube de Portugal and the English giants moved quickly in January 2020 to secure his signature ahead of the competition. That decision proved to be one of the few correct ones that the club has made in the transfer market in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
The Portuguese Magnifico’s impact at the Theatre of Dreams was immediate, as evidenced by the fact that he won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year after just half a season at the club. Fernandes would soon become United’s talisman and has now registered 111 goals and 109 assists in 334 appearances.
Bruno Fernandes: Stats by Managers at United
| Coach | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Second yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Carrick | 27 | 9 | 15 | 4 | - | - | 2,290' |
| Darren Fletcher | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 151' |
| Ruben Amorim | 58 | 20 | 19 | 7 | 1 | - | 5,054' |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy | 4 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 360' |
| Erik ten Hag | 120 | 29 | 33 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 10,490' |
| Ralf Rangnick | 26 | 5 | 5 | 6 | - | - | 2,269' |
| Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | 97 | 44 | 33 | 13 | - | - | 7,806' |
| Total | 334 | 111 | 109 | 55 | 2 | 1 | 28,420' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
Phelan has now revealed how he and former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who brought Fernandes to Old Trafford, scouted the player before his arrival.
Fernandes impressed Phelan and Solskjaer on scouting trip
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Phelan said that Bruno left him and Solskjaer in awe when they watched him during Sporting Clube de Portugal’s game against Porto in January 2020. He said: “Ole and I went to watch Bruno at Sporting Lisbon, they were playing Porto.”
“So we sat there in the stand, we watched him, and he did everything; he ran everything. He took corners, took free kicks, he took throw-ins if he could, he was just everywhere, he was a free spirit.”
“And at that time, with the group of players we had in that squad, it seemed not unreasonable to think he could make us a bit better. Little did we know he’d be the most consistent player at Man United right now.”
Fernandes the standard-bearer at United
Phelan went on to hail Fernandes’ intelligence and pointed out that the United skipper continues to set standards at Old Trafford. He continued: “He’s an intelligent football player, he seems to be well-liked amongst his peers, which is a plus, and he’s definitely seen a different Man United over a period of time.”
“The interesting thing would be what he feels about it now, from when he first came in to where he is now, all that’s gone on, what he sees is what was his ambition then and what he’s got now. Which you’ll only get that when he quits, I suppose, but ultimately he’s stayed pretty sound.”
“He’s a standard-bearer now, because of his longevity. When he first came in, he was just part of a group of players, I think he’s found his way into that sort of moment where he has become sort of the stalwart and he has become the voice a little bit, because he’s taken that responsibility on.”
“He always had an opinion, the way he sees certain things happening, the way he wants to feel things, but Bruno’s always been all in. When he first came, and for that first moment we saw him, he did everything, he wanted to do everything, so he wanted to be the guy.”
Final Thoughts
A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that United are already engaged in renewal talks with Fernandes, whose contract expires at the end of this season. The reigning Premier League Player of the Season remains indispensable for Michael Carrick’s team and INEOS must do everything possible to ensure that he stays.
Featured image by Carlos Rodrigues via Getty Images
