There’s no two ways about it: Bruno Fernandes has been the best Manchester United signing since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
The Portuguese magnifico has been absolutely instrumental ever since his debut, scoring 74 goals and providing 62 assists in 226 appearances.
For a midfielder, those numbers are simply incredible, but he’s not quite been as impressive this season in relation to his standards, scoring ten goals and supplying nine assists in 41 games.
With that in mind, there is a potential midfield summer signing that could make Fernandes unstoppable once again.
Man Utd’s quest for a new midfielder
According to a recent report from FootballTransfers, Man United have made Joao Gomes a “concrete” target.
The Brazilian ace plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are only willing to let him go for a minimum of £40m, but that fee could rise.
Although the Red Devils are keen on signing the midfielder, they’re not the only club keeping an eye on Gomes, with Arsenal also interested.
It seems that a move away from the Midlands is a likely outcome for the number eight, but how could he supercharge the United captain if he were to join?
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ByTom LeverApr 10, 2024 Why Gomes can make Fernandes unstoppable
Gomes has been fantastic in his first full season in the Premier League, starring in the Wolves midfield over his 27 league appearances.
The 23-year-old has proven to be a consistent and reliable performer who seems to thrive the most when playing against the very best in the league.
In truth, Gomes has been right at the centre of Wolves’ vast improvement, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will hope that he can have a similar impact on his United side.
Flamengo’s former ace has the exact profile that’s been missing at Old Trafford this season, with the likes of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Scott McTominay unable to provide what Gomes inevitably would.
Touches
54
Pass accuracy
88%
Key passes
2
Tackles
6
Interceptions
2
Duels won
7
Nonetheless, as displayed in the table above showcasing his statistics against Liverpool earlier this season, Gomes is the definition of a tenacious defensive midfielder.
Despite being 5 foot 9, the warrior covers every inch of the field and is an extremely dominant player, especially off the ball, as highlighted by his incredible six tackles, seven duels won, and two interceptions. He simply loves to get stuck in, notably ranking in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for tackles over the last year.
This defensive security would without doubt make Fernandes far more dangerous, as it would somewhat provide a safety blanket behind his creativity, allowing the number eight to venture forward more often and simply take more risks.
A double pivot of Kobbie Mainoo and Gomes would also help United control more matches, both with and without the ball, with the Wolves star having relatively solid ball retention, as highlighted by his pass accuracy, in turn, giving the Portuguese artist more of the ball to work his magic.
Furthermore, Gomes also has the ability to influence actions in the final third, as shown by his two key passes in that game against Liverpool. Football analyst Ben Mattinson aptly refers to the fact that he has the ability to be a “box crasher” as well.
Overall, the well-rounded defensive midfielder could solve plenty of the problems United have had to face this season, and signing Gomes simply seems like a no-brainer.