Robbie Savage and Louis Saha in agreement over Man Utd's Bruno Fernandes transfer mistake

Robbie Savage and Louis Saha are in full agreement that Manchester United should have signed Bruno Fernandes sooner than they did.

The Red Devils had been in hot pursuit of the Portugual international in the summer but failed to get the deal over the line.

United started this season poorly by their usual high standards, and pressure was growing on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of the January window.

But Man United stumped up the £67million to sign Fernandes in the winter and saw their fortunes turn around over night.

United are yet to lose with Fernandes in team and were closing in on Chelsea in fourth before the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Former Leicester City star Savage spoke out about Fernandes shortly after he joined United, and criticised the club's delay in signing him.

He BT Sport: "Bruno Fernandes has been able to unlock the door when teams are sat in at Old Trafford.

"That's the difference for me. If they had had Bruno Fernandes at the start of the season they would have been cemented in the top four. He has been the difference.

"A Paul Scholes and a Michael Carrick are hard to find. Bruno Fernandes is the player who has come in and done exceptionally well."

Interestingly, before United snapped Fernandes up in January, former Red Devil Saha spoke out about the midfielder and suggested the very same thing - that the club missed a trick not signing him in the summer window.

"Bruno Fernandes is a player of great technical quality who could be extremely decisive at various points in United's game," Saha told Portuguese newspaper  Record.

"But more than that, he's a born leader and that's what Manchester United are missing this season.

"Only time can tell, but judging from everything that has happened United made a mistake by not buying Bruno Fernandes and not signing a creative midfield player.

"He's undoubtedly a huge player and his market value should not be impeding for a club like Man United.

"In addition, Sporting have the right to ask whatever they want for one of their most valuable assets. Bruno Fernandes was absolutely impressive last season."

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