MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 16:11:13| >> :60:24:24:

Bruno Fernandes: Where does Man Utd's new signing rank in January's most expensive?

Bruno Fernandes: Where does Man Utd's new signing rank in January's most expensive?
© Reuters
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes is understood to have cost Manchester United an initial £46.6million.

Manchester United have made Sporting Lisbon midfielder Bruno Fernandes one of the most expensive signings in the Premier League's January transfer window.

The Portugal star is understood to have cost an initial £46.6million, ranking him sixth among January signings with the potential for add-ons to lift him even higher.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the month's big-money deals – including several successes and one memorable flop.

1 Virgil Van Dijk

Southampton to Liverpool, 2018, £75m

The Dutchman's fee was a world record for a defender, until beaten by Manchester United's capture of Harry Maguire, but he has justified it by becoming Liverpool's rock. He made himself popular from the outset with a debut winner against local rivals Everton in the FA Cup and has since been integral to the Reds' Champions League win last season and their march towards a seemingly inevitable Premier League triumph this term. He is the reigning Premier League, PFA and UEFA player of the year and was runner up at the FIFA Best awards and the Ballon d'Or.

2 Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic celebrates with the matchball after his hat-trick against Burnley
Christian Pulisic celebrates with the matchball after his hat-trick against Burnley (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea, 2019, £57.7m

The American was immediately loaned back to Dortmund, instead arriving in the summer to provide much-needed new blood for a Chelsea side working under a transfer ban. He showed his immense potential with a run of five goals in three games in October and November including a hat-trick against Burnley, but has been limited by injuries since.

3 Aymeric Laporte

Aymeric Laporte lifts the FA Cup
Aymeric Laporte lifts the FA Cup (Nick Potts/PA)

Athletic Bilbao to Manchester City, 2018, £57m

Arriving in the same window as Van Dijk, the Frenchman played his part as City won back-to-back league titles and a domestic treble last season. His influence has perhaps been even more apparent in his absence this season, with City looking defensively shaky without him as they have fallen 19 points behind Liverpool.

4 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal, 2018, £56m

The Gunners' record signing has 57 goals in 91 games for the club, moving ahead of Alexandre Lacazette as their key striker and forming an effective partnership with the France international when they play together. He has often captained the team this season and is a rare consistent presence in an under-achieving side.

5 Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres struggled at Chelsea (Nick Potts/PA)

Liverpool to Chelsea, 2011, £50m

This deadline-day move, and Andy Carroll's linked move from Newcastle to replace the Spaniard at Anfield, became a case study in the dangers of over-spending in January. Torres scored just 43 goals in three and a half seasons with Chelsea, fewer than half of which came in the league, and his high-profile misses arguably live longer in the memory. Carroll, meanwhile, managed just 11 for Liverpool.

6 Bruno Fernandes

Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, 2020, £46.6m

The midfielder comes with a goalscoring pedigree of his own – only two players, both strikers, have scored more in the Portuguese top flight since he arrived at Sporting in 2017. He has often been compared to Frank Lampard and if he can come close to the production of the former Chelsea star turned manager, United will be getting value for their significant investment.

ID:388121: cacheID:388121:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:11153:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Newcastle United striker Salomon Rondon celebrates scoring against Liverpool on May 4, 2019
Read Next:
Man United interested in Salomon Rondon?
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Blanch
Nadal
Result
Cachin
Ofner
6 6
3 3
Result
Elahi Galan
Bautista-Agut
64 6 1
77 4 6
Result
Gasquet
Sonego
2 5
6 7
Result
Hanfmann
Mensik
4 63
6 77
10am
Koepfer
Carballes Baena
10am
Kovacevic
Medjedovic
Result
Lajovic
Monteiro
4 3
6 6
Result
Machac
Ruusuvuori
6 1 6
4 6 2
10am
Michelsen
Fonseca
Result
Nishioka
Auger-Aliassime
6 1 4
4 6 6
Result
O'Connell
Arnaldi
4 1
6 6
Result
Purcell
Giron
4 6 77
6 4 62
10am
Ramos-Vinolas
Kotov
Result
Tabilo
Cobolli
7 4 4
5 6 6
Result
Zhizhen
Kecmanovic
3 2
6 6
Result
Azarenka
Maria
6 6
3 1
10am
Eala
Cirstea
10am
Annie Fernandez
Potapova
Result
Gauff
Rus
6 6
0 0
Result
Keys
Camelia-Begu
77 78
63 66
Result
Podoroska
Navarro
2 1
6 6
10am
Karolina Schmiedlova
Jabeur
10am
Swiatek
Wang
10am
Baez
Van Assche
10am
Coric
Zverev
10am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
10am
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
10am
Hurkacz
Draper
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Alexandrova
Krueger
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
10am
Boulter
Montgomery
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Collins
Danilovic
3pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
10am
Dolehide
Kalinina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Linette
Sabalenka
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
Result
Sorribes Tormo
Svitolina
6 7
3 5
Result
Vekic
Sakkari
3 2
6 6
Result
Arango
Yastremska
6 5 4
0 7 6
Result
Osaka
Samsonova
2 6 5
6 4 7
Result
Ostapenko
Bouzas Maneiro
6 6
3 1
Result
Haddad Maia
Errani
6 6
3 2
2.30pm
Lourdes Carle
Kudermetova
2.30pm
Mertens
Stephens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Liverpool34228475344174
3Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!