Manchester United ‘increasingly irritated’ with Sporting CP in pursuit of Bruno Fernandes

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been chasing Fernandes all summer as he begins to reshape his midfield after the departures of Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini, but reports suggest United are becoming frustrated by Sporting’s attempts to create a bidding war.  According to the Evening Standard, United believe their interest is being used to attract more suitors, to drive up Fernandes’s lofty £56m price tag.  Sporting’s coach Marcel Keizer has remained coy on Fernandes’ future, saying: “Everybody would like him to say. “The situation is that he is here, but we don’t know what the future will bring. “We know he plays very well, we know that clubs like him, so we have to see what happens. “The job of the coach is to realise that some players will go before the end of the window. Every player can go, and we can also buy players.” United have already spent big this summer with the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace, but it’s unlikely to be the end of their business.  A move for Harry Maguire continues to be mooted, though United are reluctant to match Leicester’s £90m valuation, and they are still interested in Newcastle’s young midfielder Sean Longstaff, though new manager Steve Bruce is desperate to keep him. Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic also looks set to complete a move from Lazio imminently.  Speaking about United’s transfer business, Solskjaer said: “We’ve got to be patient. It’s a long haul and it’s very important we get the right ones in. “So we can’t just jump on a different path when the hit a hurdle. I’ve not had a frustrating feeling at all. “Of course when we’re working on something that means that we have identified something that could improve us.” NOW READ… Ranked! The 101 greatest football players of the last 25 years Quiz! Can you name the 50 most expensive Brazillian player transfers ever 27 essential Fantasy Premier League tips from old winners and experts   Barcelona open to offers for attacking midfielder – and Manchester United are keen Manchester United doing battle with European giants for Lyon wonderkid Stam’s Reading sign Manchester United youngster Blackett Fosu-Mensah signs new Man United contract Manchester United have a clear message for Inter Milan about Romelu Lukaku – and may have identified his replacement “It’s just not possible” – Jurgen Klopp rules out re-signing Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool Rice hails response after double emergency at Hamilton game Watford defender Ben Wilmot signs season-long loan at Swansea Middlesbrough forward Martin Braithwaite signs four-year deal at Leganes 7 players Frank Lampard must still sell despite Chelsea’s transfer ban Manchester United clinch €75m deal for midfielder as Real Madrid close in on Paul Pogba 28 red hot fantasy football tips Fantasy Premier League bargains: cheap defenders and midfielders for stretched budgets 10 overpriced transfers that absolutely worked out