It’s easy to forget that Manchester United were a team going nowhere prior to Bruno Fernandes‘ arrival, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first full season in charge having hit the skids by that stage.
The final game before Fernandes’ £56m signing in late January 2020 had seen United lose 2-0 at home to Burnley, their 12th Premier League defeat since Solskjaer was named permanent boss the previous March. They’d only won 11 times in that period.
Come the end of 2019/20, following a Covid-disrupted campaign, the Red Devils had finished in third following a final-day win over Leicester City, with Fernandes racking up 20 goals and assists in just his first 20 games for the club in all competitions.
From the outset, the Portuguese genius has been the difference-maker, and continues to be so, although now could be the time to try and ease that creative burden on him.
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There’s been a stark reliance on Fernandes in a creative sense at Old Trafford for so long now, the 31-year-old arguably hitting his peak following a record-breaking 21st assist of the season at the weekend.
All the focus on the captain’s heroics has masked the struggles of those around him in that regard, with no player even getting close in terms of top-flight assists.
Indeed, guess how many the player ranked in second place racked up? Just four, courtesy of Patrick Dorgu. The gulf in that department between Fernandes and the rest is seismic.
|
Man Utd – PL Assists 25/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Assists |
|
Fernandes |
21 |
|
Dorgu |
4 |
|
Amad |
3 |
|
Dalot |
3 |
|
Mbeumo |
3 |
|
Casemiro |
2 |
|
Cunha |
2 |
|
Maguire |
2 |
|
Mainoo |
2 |
That could all change with new signings, however, with Italian outlet Tuttosport – via United outlets – suggesting that talks have been held regarding a deal for Fernandes’ compatriot, Afonso Moreira.
As per the report, INEOS have made enquiries regarding a deal for the 21-year-old, albeit while set to face rival interest from clubs in Germany and Italy.
His current side Lyon, amid their ongoing financial issues, could cash in for a fee of just €25m (£21m), having previously sold Rayan Cherki to Manchester City on a similar bargain deal last summer.
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It’s been no surprise that Fernandes’ streak of assists has come following a string of marquee summer signings last year, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all hitting double figures for league goals.
More is needed creatively from both Cunha and Mbeumo, however, the pair registering just five assists between them, while Amad’s final day contribution was only his third assist and first in 2026.
That could well be where Moreira makes the difference, however, the youngster enjoying a sparkling individual campaign in France, following his arrival from Portugal last summer.
Schooled at Fernandes’ former club, Sporting CP, the promising playmaker can operate all across the frontline, yet is typically deployed off the left flank, allowing his creative talents to flourish in that wide role.
In all, he ended 2025/26 with four goals and seven assists in Ligue 1, while having created ten ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.2 key passes per game.
Fernandes, for context, was streets ahead with 33 ‘big chances’ created of his own, although again, the chasm between him and the rest was significant at United, with Amad sat in second on just seven.
Moreira might not be at his compatriot’s level just yet, but he could be closer to Fernandes in a creative sense than anyone else currently at Old Trafford.
Previously hailed as “one of the most talented players of his generation” by scout Jacek Kulig, Moreira also impressed in European competition in 2025/26, scoring and assisting four goals in just seven games in the Europa League, despite only actually starting three times.
That is all the more remarkable considering he had only had a brief taste of senior football prior to this season, spending much of his time with Sporting’s ‘B’ team.
Regardless, he looks like another Portuguese superstar in the making, in a similar vein to Fernandes, with the chance there for United and INEOS to potentially strike a bargain deal this summer.
Indeed, the player who was handed his debut by Ruben Amorim in Lisbon could now be the latest player with Sporting connections to sparkle in Manchester.
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