Man Utd open talks to seal their best signing since Fernandes in £40m deal

Manchester United fans have truly been blessed with a catalog of top-class talent throughout the years, and Bruno Fernandes is the latest to add himself to such a list.

The Portuguese arrived as an unknown quantity to many fans back in 2020, but it's safe to say that he is now one of the Premier League's top 10.

He has now registered a combined 140 goals and assists in 226 appearances in England's top flight, after which he averages a goal every 1.6 games.

This season alone has arguably been the best for the Red Devils, and the 31-year-old needs just two more assists to break the single-season record of 20.

He has been the club's savior in dark times at Old Trafford, but it is vital that the management make quality additions to help take the weight off the striker's shoulders in 2026/27.

Man Utd make £40m bid

In a bid to strengthen the attacking department this summer, United have already been offered a number of talents across Europe.

A few days ago, RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande was again mentioned as a summer target, with Liverpool also keen to secure his signature.

The Bundesliga side are reportedly seeking £87m for the 19-year-old, who has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season.

However, Diomande is not the only wide player currently being targeted by the Red Devils ahead of the window, with AC Milan star Rafael Leao also appearing on their radar.

According to Calciomercato, United have already approached Serie A with an investigation into signing the 26-year-old when the window opens in June.

The report also claims that the Italian side are currently seeking around £40m to offload the Portugal international in the coming months.

However, Milan are said to be very interested in signing Joshua Zirkzee, which could lead to a money and player deal between the two teams.

Why Leao could be United's best signing since Fernandes

In recent years, United have spent little money trying to get back to the top of the Premier League – but so far, their efforts have been unsuccessful.

Officials have splashed a reported £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022 alone, with many big-money signings failing to live up to expectations.

Last summer alone, more than £200m was spent on upgrading the front line at Old Trafford, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all joining the Red Devils.

While the aforementioned trio have combined for 27 league goals this season, it's clear the board are looking for added depth and quality in the final third.

Leao's departure will provide that as well, with the AC Milan star a player who has consistently lit up Serie A and Europe over the past few campaigns.

He has now registered 22 or more goals combined and assists in each of his last four seasons at the San Siro, with ten or more goals scored in those years.

This season, the 26-year-old has scored 10 goals in all competitions, after conceding more goals than Cunha and Mbeumo in their first year in Manchester.

Leao, called “world class” by commentator Ben Mattinson, has registered 1.3 shots per 90 in Serie A this season – which also puts him in the top 15% of other top players in the division.

The aforementioned figure, coupled with his goal tally, could see him fulfill the expectations of the officials to acquire another top-class attacker this summer.

He was also instrumental in creating chances, after which he completed 84% of his passes, while creating 0.5 big chances out of 90 – both of which put him in the top 8% of Italy's stars.

His direct nature has also caught the eye this season, with the Portuguese completing a superb 1.3 per 90 dribbles in 2025/26. It's easy to see why Milan coach Stefano Pioli once said “Leao reminds me a lot of the original Thierry Henry”, cutting inside on the left side and causing havoc.

£40m for a player of the striker's caliber in today's market would be a fantastic deal and would take United's attack to another level.

His international experience with Fernandes could play a big role in his chances of success at Old Trafford, which can only benefit the club's title chances next season.

Should he take this step and get anywhere near the levels of his compatriot in Manchester, such a move will undoubtedly go down in the Red Devils' history books.