The next Bruno Fernandes now wants to join Man Utd in club-record deal

If this is to be the final act of Bruno Fernandes’ Manchester United career, then it would be a fitting farewell, with the Portuguese genius leading the charge toward Champions League qualification.

So close to departing for Saudi side Al Hilal last summer, by his own admission, the 31-year-old’s future is likely to be a talking point again following this summer’s World Cup, with just over a year left to run on his existing deal.

Over six years on from his arrival from Lisbon, the United skipper remains the figurehead at Old Trafford, leading the way again this season for assists, while his tally of eight Premier League goals has only been bettered by Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.

Whether he stays or goes remains to be seen, although his signing is the benchmark for those after him to follow, with recent reports suggesting that INEOS are pursuing a similarly talismanic midfielder heading into the summer.

£100m target wants to join Man Utd this summer

The end of the campaign is less than two months away, with work likely to be being done behind the scenes regarding potential prospective signings, even with a new permanent manager yet to be named.

Last summer, INEOS had already wrapped up their first summer signing by early June, after agreeing a deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers for the £62.5m capture of Matheus Cunha.

Further Premier League investment is likely to follow this time around, with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali seemingly a leading target, amid the search for a suitable replacement for the departing Casemiro.

As reported, sources have told Football FanCast that the Italy international favours a move to Old Trafford this summer, ahead of joining Arsenal, provided that the Red Devils can secure Champions League football.

The 25-year-old is said to be keen to ‘cement’ his place in United’s starting lineup for years to come, having initially signed for his current side on a £55m deal back in the summer of 2023.

Any move this time around is likely to prove far more expensive, amid the suggestion that it would take a fee in the region of £100m to prise him from St James’ Park, thus eclipsing the £89m capture of Paul Pogba as United’s club-record signing.

Why Tonali could be the next Bruno Fernandes

When Fernandes walked in the door in January 2020, the impact was immediate, with the ex-Sporting CP star producing a Man of the Match display on debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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The creative sensation had been the main man previously back in Lisbon, with 113 goals and assists in 137 games for his former side, after making his mark in senior football in Italian football with Novara, Udinese and Sampdoria prior to that.

That is something of a similar trajectory to what Tonali has achieved in his career to date, with the in-demand midfielder, like Fernandes at Novara, beginning life in Serie B with Brescia, prior to moving to AC Milan in 2020.

After 130 games at San Siro, he was subsequently sold on to Newcastle three years later, since racking up 20 goals and assists in 104 games under Eddie Howe’s watch.

With the added bonus of that Premier League experience, Tonali could well follow in Fernandes’ footsteps by immediately hitting the ground running in Manchester, with no period of adaptation needed.

Indeed, there is also the parallel in the two men joining at a similar stage of their careers, with Tonali still only 25, the same age Fernandes was when the deal was agreed six years ago.

Like United’s Portuguese Magnifico, there would surely be little doubt over the Italian’s ability to slot in smoothly, with United legend Paul Scholes previously singling out Tonali as the best midfielder in the Premier League, while hailing him as even “better than [Declan] Rice”.

Equally too, there would also be something of a hunger remaining on Tonali’s part to win the real major trophies, having thus far won Serie A and the Carabao Cup to date. In Fernandes’ case, his time in Italy and at Sporting yielded just three Portuguese domestic cup trophies.

While the Newcastle man has only recently suffered the anguish of missing out on World Cup qualification, albeit while netting in the play-off semi-final win over Northern Ireland, his quality and ability aren’t in question, having been a real all-action, box-to-box menace on Tyneside.

A player of experience, yet young enough to still be a long-term fit in United’s midfield ranks – much like Fernandes – Tonali should certainly be INEOS’ prime target heading into this summer.

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