Nani shares how he convinced £47m man to ignore Tottenham

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Nani has told The Athletic how he persuaded Bruno Fernandes to overlook a move to Tottenham Hotspur and join Manchester United instead.

Fernandes, 27, joined Manchester United in a deal worth £47million (Goal) in January 2020. He has since gone on to shine in English football, at United.

It comes after 115 goal involvements in 137 games for Sporting Lisbon – scoring 63 and creating 52. At United, those numbers have continued.

Playing 93 times for United, he has 44 goals – albeit plenty will be from the penalty spot. He has also laid on 33 assists, proving to be crucial for United.

It could have been very different. The 40-time Portugal international was a target for both Manchester City and Tottenham, before Old Trafford.

That is according to Nani, who shares how he told Fernandes to move to Manchester United – over their rivals in the £47million race to sign him.

“When I went to Orlando I saw the news and I texted him because I was seeing Man City and Man United and Tottenham were fighting for him.

“I said, ‘If you have to go, you choose Man United! It’s the best,” Nani said, when discussing his old Sporting teammate’s decision to join United.

Nani on Fernandes: Tottenham and City must be ruing United move

Almost two years on, and both Tottenham and City will surely be looking on in envy – especially Spurs. He is exactly what they lack at the moment.

That creativity from midfield is what Spurs need. They have failed to replace Christian Eriksen, while Dele Alli is no longer the star he once was.

He would have taken Spurs into the top six, if not the top four over the last couple of seasons. At City, he would be guaranteeing another title.

But instead, Nani’s comments have seen him shine for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. Even this season, he has four goals and eight assists.