Premier League champions Manchester City are reportedly in talks with Sporting Lisbon’s captain, but don’t rule out Wolverhampton Wanderers just yet.
Another Portuguese international could be on his way to the Premier League this summer with every top six club linked with Bruno Fernandes in the last few weeks.
Surprisingly, however, Wolverhampton Wanderers have not been mentioned as a potential destination for the Sporting Lisbon captain. Though it would be foolish to rule out the prospect of interest from Molineux as interest in Fernandes rises ahead of the summer transfer window.
As it stands, it seems that Manchester City are leading the chase with The Sun (24 April, page 53) claiming that Pep Guardiola’s side had opened talks over a £30 million deal.
Fernandes has produced a staggering 28 goals and 16 assists this season – a tally that looks even more remarkable when you consider he is an attacking midfielder rather than a centre-forward.
And if there is one area where Wolves are a little short, it is in the goalscoring midfield department. Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota are the only players at Nuno Espirito Santo’s disposal who have scored more than four Premier League goals this season.
Ruben Neves, Romain Saiss, Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker and Morgan Gibbs-White have just eight between them – and none are a natural ‘number ten’ like Fernandes.
And, at £30 million, the 24-year-old would hardly break the bank for a club who have some of the richest owners around. Manchester City may be a tempting destination for any player but Wolves have shown already that pulling power is not a problem.
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