Bruno Fernandes has never been one to shy away from giving others their flowers even after they’ve left the club which is what makes him a great captain.
Maxi Oyedele was recently congratulated by Fernandes for making his Poland debut less than four months after leaving Manchester United.
Even generally, the Portuguese has been at the front of the queue when it comes to recognising the efforts of current and former teammates at Old Trafford.
In a transfer window that netted the club more than £100 million in sales, it is natural that many members of the Man Utd squad lost some friends to other clubs but Fernandes is keeping a close eye on their exploits.
He recently showered one with extremely high praise, saying he had “conquered the hearts” at his new club.
Bruno Fernandes gushes about Scott McTominay
If anyone were to answer which Man Utd sale in the summer has flourished the most, the majority answer would likely be Scott McTominay.
Erik ten Hag has already been on record saying that he didn’t want to sell the Scottish midfielder but his hand was forced by FFP regulations.
McTominay started like a house on fire in Naples, taking to Antonio Conte’s infamously hard-nosed tactical system like a duck to water.
So impressive has he been, that Italian pundits like Paolo di Canio said he’d ‘arrest’ Man Utd directors who sold him!
McTominay is being regarded as a Napoli idol already less than four months after his departure, a clear sign of how things are going over there.
Perhaps Fernandes’ message is not so far-fetched then. The United captain recently took to Instagram to post a picture of McTominay’s Napoli shirt, presumably from the player himself, with a heartfelt message.
He wrote: “The name [Scott McTominay] that has conquered the heart of Napoli”, with a kissing emoji.
Should Man Utd regret McTominay sale?
It is easy to look at McTominay’s great form at Napoli and think United made a mistake by letting him go but the reality remains that the club’s needs at the time were different.
The Scot has predominantly been used as almost a shadow striker in Naples, the role in which he cracked double figures in goals for United last season.
At this stage of his career, he has found his strengths and they don’t lie deep in the buildup. It’s him as close to the goal as possible to put away those instinctive finishes.
United, on the other hand, needed a natural defensive midfielder who could sweep up in front of the back four instead of contributing further ahead.
Therefore, Manuel Ugarte was brought in and even though Ugarte hasn’t set things on fire yet, he is much better suited to what United need.
A sell-on clause in McTominay’s contract might net United even more money but at the end of the day, most would be happy seeing an academy graduate flourish in the professional game.
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