Football News

Bruno Fernandes will take the Premier League “by storm” with Man Utd, insists Odion Ighalo

By Mohamed Moallim

Published: 10:34, 21 April 2020 | Updated: 14:29, 1 June 2020

Odion Ighalo has backed Bruno Fernandes to take the Premier League “by storm” following his impressive start with Manchester United.

The 25-year-old Portuguese midfielder completed a long-awaited move to Old Trafford in January and has subsequently hit the ground running.

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Fernandes’ start to life at Man Utd: Five things to know…

  • Bruno Fernandes joined Man Utd from Sporting Lisbon for £47m in January 2020.
  • He’s since gone on to make nine appearances in all competitions.
  • Fernandes has scored three goals and created four more for his teammates.
  • He became the first Man Utd player since Marcus Rashford (January 2019) to be named Premier League Player of the Month (February 2020).
  • Man Utd teammate Odion Ighalo has backed him to take the Premier League “by storm” once he’s settled in.

He’s made nine appearances to date, registering three goals and creating four more for his teammates, including Anthony Martial’s opener in their 2-0 win over Manchester City last month.

Fernandes’ arrival has also coincided with United’s recent upsurge in form, with the Maia-born footballer yet to taste defeat, having won in all but three of the games he’s appeared.

His standout performances have not gone unnoticed, especially with the Red Devils currently without record-signing Paul Pogba in midfield, so much so that many observers are speculating that Fernandes will ultimately replace the Frenchman.

Ighalo, who followed Fernandes through the Old Trafford door in the winter transfer window, believes once the playmaker is truly settled in England he will be among the league’s very best.

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“He is intelligent, he has foresight, he has vision,” Ighalo told the club’s official website.

“He sees what he wants to do with the ball before it comes to him. You can see the understanding between him and Martial, you can see the understanding between me and him, so he’s a very good player. And he’s not even settled down yet!

“He comes from a very different place to the Premier League. When that guy has settled down, he’s going to take the Premier League by storm.”

‘What Man Utd have missed over the years’ – Harry Maguire

Ighalo isn’t the only Man Utd player to be impressed with Fernandes’ start to life in English football.

Club captain Harry Maguire, who joined the record 20-time English champions last summer, has also spoke glowingly of the Portuguese international.

“He’s been brilliant since he’s come in, off the field around the training ground, he’s a leader and wants to win, everything he does he wants to win, you can tell he’s been brought up with that attitude,” Maguire told Gary Neville and Geoff Shreeves on Sky Sports’ The Football Show.

“He’s just given us that little bit more life and creativity in the middle, something you (Gary Neville) and United fans have said we’ve missed over the years.

“It’s a start, there are lots of aspects of his game I’m sure he’ll want to improve, and I’m sure he will improve. I’m sure he will get better for this club.

“We’ve got Paul [Pogba] to come back as well, who I’m sure will probably make himself lift his game even more.

“We have a lot of competition in that centre midfield now, they know they have to be on their game to keep their spot, so I’m sure we’ll see the benefit.”