When Bruno Fernandes leads Manchester United out against Tottenham in Wednesday’s Europa League final in Bilbao, both clubs will know things could have been very different.
Six months before the Portuguese midfielder moved to Old Trafford from Sporting in January 2020 for £47m, Fernandes was all set to sign for Spurs under Mauricio Pochettino.
The deal was all but done, after five meetings with his entourage and Spurs left Fernandes and his people impressed with the north London club’s structure.
“They were absolutely next level when it comes to detail,” said a source involved in the talks.
“Even the rooms at the training ground – each one was decorated just like the players’ bedrooms at home, the ones they share with their partners.
“The bed was exactly the same. Even the flowers in the garden gave off a scent that’s meant to be beneficial – it was mind-blowing.
“There were two weeks left in the window, but Sporting were going to accept it.”
The club board, however, changed their mind, holding out for an offer twice as big that never arrived. With the transfer window closing, they made the decision during the Europa League draw in Monaco to sell Raphinha to Rennes instead.
Fernandes was so convinced that he’d be heading to north London that, when Sporting president Frederico Varandas came to explain the situation, he told him to go away.
For a while, he found himself in a bad place mentally.