It's an understatement that Bruno Fernandes made waves upon his arrival at Old Trafford. The January signing triggered Manchester United's winning run and resurgence, and according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he was sold on the Portuguese's talent and character from the start.
The club boss also revealed that United legend Cristiano Ronaldo endorsed the signing of his countryman. The two are Portugal teammates, and Solskjaer thought of getting a clearer picture of Fernandes, and Ronaldo provided the confirmation that the star is both talent and quality.
"I managed to get hold of Cristiano and his recommendation obviously stands him [Fernandes] in good stead," Metro reported the Norwegian manager as saying, picking from his appearance with the High Performance Podcast.
Before reaching out to Ronaldo, Solskjaer said the scout reports on Fernandes were favorable and sufficient to seal the deal. However, the talk with Ronaldo gave a more intimate glimpse of the player he was about to sign, and the manager said he liked what he heard.
The convincing part, however, came directly from Fernandes. Solskjaer said he immediately saw that the former Sporting Lisbon man was bursting with talent and energy. And most importantly, the 25-year-old was willing to play and step up when it matters most.
Fernandes so far delivered to expectations, said the United boss.
The most impressive about Fernandes, however, is his character and Solskjaer said it was in full display the day he signed with the Red Devils. The midfielder took the time to shake everyone's hand and the gesture revealed a humility that was hard to ignore, per the report from The Daily Mail.
Fernandes knows how to win as well. Solskjaer said the Portuguese earned respect by showing his best form on and off the pitch.
"He's delivered crosses, he's delivered assists, he's scored goals, he's took penalties. He's done everything in a short space of time that you'd expect," said the manager.
Fernandes appeared 11 times since entering the Premier League and he scored seven important goals for his club. His kind of play seemed to have infected the rest of the team as 17 wins have been picked up since the day he arrived.
Excitement is also in effect at Old Trafford. Pundits are saying the pairing of Fernandes with Paul Pogba bodes well for United. The team is being labeled as "midfield maestros," the kind of praises that were absent in the first half of the season.
Solskjaer said Fernandes has his utmost respect for demanding that the club has to be the best in training and actual play.
