How Solskjaer helped Bruno Fernandes settle at Manchester United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played a huge role in bringing Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United in January 2020. The Portuguese playmaker had an immediate and devastating impact and he credits his former manager for helping him settle so quickly.

On January 30, 2020, Bruno Fernandes became a Manchester United player. He quickly became a fans’ favourite when he scored 8 goals in his first 12 matches for the club.

Things got even better in his first full season at the club. Fernandes scored 28 goals in all competitions as United finished runners-up and reached the Europa League final.

Fernandes, however, has revealed that he was aware of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s presence at Sporting Lisbon matches. Solskjaer later told Fernandes he was impressed by the personality he showed in a game against FC Porto.

Speaking to The Athletic, Fernandes said: “At the beginning of January, my agent said, ‘You don’t need to worry, because any time I bring you a club, it will be a dream club for you.’ He knew that the dream club was Man United. Ole was a big part of that because he actually went to see my games. He saw me moaning a lot in that game against Porto — I moaned a lot against their players, against the referees.

“I moan against everyone who is against me, not those who are with me. Ole saw someone that was passionate and it helped him sign me for the club. On my first day, he said to me, ‘Just be yourself’. He said, ‘I know what you are capable of with the ball but I also want you to be the leader you have been at Sporting’.”

Although things didn’t go to plan for Solskjaer in the end, you have to respect what he did for the club after Jose Mourinho, especially when most clubs tend to struggle to fix the toxic mess he leaves.

Fernandes is now one of the best players in the Premier League and he almost ended up at Tottenham Hotspur!

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