Pep Guardiola agreed with Bruno Fernandes over Man Utd's £40m transfer mistake

Manchester United’s big-money transfers have turned heads for all the wrong reasons in recent years. The Red Devils may have spent hundreds of millions on signings, but few have really hit the mark and managed to take Old Trafford by storm.

The £80million forked out for Harry Maguire and the eye-watering £86m splurged on Antony go some way in showing how the funds could have been utilised more effectively. Even United’s captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes seems to share that frustration, having been particularly vocal about the club’s failure to land his countryman and fellow midfielder Matheus Nunes in 2022.

Nunes now plays for rivals Manchester City, having clinched a Premier League title in his first season. But he was once well within United’s grasp, before his switch to Wolves in August 2022 and eventual move to City.

The Red Devils made the questionable decision to splash £70m on an ageing Casemiro instead of snapping up the young Nunes, who set Wolves back a mere initial £38m (rising to £43m). It was a huge missed opportunity in hindsight, something Fernandes didn’t shy away from pointing out even at the time.

Fernandes told Portuguese media outlet Record: “I’ve already talked to him. I’ve already told him that he should have come here (to United) and not there (to Wolves). I’m very happy for him.

“He’s going to experience the best league in the world, he’s going to have players beside him with a lot of quality, like Ruben (Sa) and Joao (Moutinho), who will teach him a lot. They are two experienced players.

“Matheus is doing incredible things. He has an incredible scope for growth, he is a humble, hardworking kid and I’m sure he will probably explode in the Premier League and will show his qualities. Because for his qualities Matheus was not made for the Premier League, but rather the Premier League was made for Matheus.”

United’s mistake in failing to secure Nunes’ signature before Wolves became even more damning when rivals City splashed £53m on him last summer. Pep Guardiola echoed Fernandes’ praise for Nunes, dubbing him an “exceptional player”, having previously hailed him as “one of the best in the world” during his Sporting CP days.

Nunes only had a limited role in City’s Premier League title-winning campaign, featuring in just 17 games and making another 11 appearances across all competitions. But he will be keen to make a more significant contribution in his second season at the Etihad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Meanwhile, Fernandes’ own future at United now hangs in the balance. The midfielder has been a standout performer at Old Trafford since joining in January 2020 and was handed the captain’s armband last season.

Yet it was a disastrous campaign for Erik ten Hag’s team, prompting new controlling co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to demand a complete revamp of the squad. Fernandes was reportedly not among those deemed untouchable for potential buyers this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain appear increasingly likely to challenge United’s resolve to keep their captain. Only two months ago, Fernandes outlined what the Red Devils must do to keep him at Old Trafford, stating that the club “needs to want me”.