Manchester City appear to be in the driving seat in the race to sign Bruno Fernandes after holding talks with Sporting Lisbon over a potential £42m deal.
That’s according to the Daily Mail, who claim City are confident of a deal for the 24-year-old midfielder, who has scored an incredible 31 goals and made 17 assists in his 50 appearances for the Portuguese giants this season.
The news will come as a huge blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who, according to the Portuguese media over the weekend, had made the player his No 1 target this summer.
According to Saturday’s A Bola, United looked to be in the driving seat for Fernandes, who has carved out a fine reputation for himself in the Portuguese capital.
The paper claimed Solskjaer had resigned himself to losing Paul Pogba this summer – most likely to Real Madrid – and that he saw Fernandes as the man he wants to replace him within the United midfield.
A Bola went on to suggest that Solskjaer had requested United make a firm bid for a player as soon as possible in a bid to win the race for his signature and that the club had enlisted the help of super-agent Jorge Mendes to try and convince Fernandes to move to Old Trafford.
However, news that City have in the driving seat to sign the player will come as another cruel blow for Solskjaer, who on Sunday saw his side consigned to the Europa League next season and forcing the Norwegian to make this admission.
Sources however, reckons United’s failure to claim a place in the Champions League next season means a move to the blue half of Manchester is far more likely and that City are locked in talks with the Portuguese side over the breakdown of the deal.
They report Sporting initially asked for €70million (£60m) for Fernandes, but City are hopeful an offer of €50m (£43m), plus two players, either on loan or permanent deals, will be sufficient.