OPINION
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez would be pulling off a masterstroke if he was to sign Sporting CP midfielder Bruno Fernandes after it was reported that the Tyneside club is in the hunt to sign the Portugal international.
Portuguese news outlet A Bola has reported via their website that Newcastle are among a clutch of clubs in the race to sign Fernandes, 23, this summer amid the continued crisis at Sporting.
It is understood that the former Sampdoria player, who swapped Italy for Portugal last summer, will hold a meeting with Sporting president Sousa Cintra to discuss his future after he was injured when players were attacked by supporters of the club at their training ground in May.
Sky Sports has previously reported that West Ham have bid £20million for the midfield assist king, but Sporting want a fee of £25million for him.
However Fernandes could be available for free as he is trying to terminate his contract at the Liga NOS club.
Newcastle should continue to keep tabs on the midfielder as they definitely stand a chance of signing him this summer if he goes and cancels his deal at Sporting CP.
It would be an absolute masterstroke by Benitez to snap up the Portugal international, who was in dazzling form in the 2017/18 season.
Across all competitions, Fernandes scored 16 goals and supplied 20 assists in 56 appearances.
He can play in a deeper-lying midfield role but has also shown that he is able to play in behind the forward.
Ayoze Perez currently does that role at St James’ Park, but Fernandes is clearly an improvement on the inconsistent Spaniard and while it is probably not Benitez’s priority to strengthen his midfield, getting in someone to support his strikers and get on the scoresheet himself would be a good idea, and Fernandes offers that.