Bruno Fernandes highlighted not just one, but four Sporting CP talents he believes have the caliber for the Premier League.
Currently on national duty after leading Manchester United to an FA Cup semi-final berth with a thrilling win over Liverpool, Fernandes is preparing for Portugal’s upcoming matches against Sweden and Slovenia.
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In the run-up to these international fixtures, Fernandes engaged with the press, answering inquiries about his former team’s ongoing campaign and roster.
During this interaction, he was queried about Sporting players who might make the leap to the Premier League.
The skipper of Man United identified four such prospects: Viktor Gyokeres, who transferred from Coventry City the previous summer, along with Pedro Goncalves, Hidemasa Morita, and Morten Hjulmand.
“Gyokeres is one of them, he’s scored a lot of goals, but I think Pedro Goncalves has shown great dynamics over the years,” he revealed.
“This season is probably the one in which he’s played best, but as his numbers have dropped since the first season, people… What’s normal, he’s created a very high standard of goals and assists, so the pressure on him is very high.
“However, I think that Pote has been more influential in the team’s play now than he was when Sporting were champions, and he scored a lot of goals. This confidence that the coach has in Trincao means that he’s back to being the player he was when he left Braga for Barcelona.”
Fernandes, who left Sporting for United in January 2020, added: “Obviously, Gyokeres scoring so many goals means that he sometimes falls by the wayside. Inácio has grown enormously and part of that is down to being in the national team and playing.
“Coates is always the pendulum in that defence because of his experience and his ability to be calm in difficult moments. The two in midfield.. I love Sporting’s midfield. I love Morita and Hjulmand. They’re two vital players in Sporting’s game, especially when they have to have more of the ball and be more tactically organised.”
Pedro Goncalves and Viktor Gyokeres have been on Manchester United’s radar, with reports suggesting the club has been monitoring the Sporting duo’s progress.
Meanwhile, Hidemasa Morita and Morten Hjulmand have made a name for themselves with their performances for Sporting this season, bolstering their profiles.
As the summer transfer window approaches, it’s likely that these four Sporting players will become hot topics in the transfer speculation circuit.
