MANCHESTER UNITED’S £49million transfer bid for Bruno Fernandes has been laughed off by Sporting Lisbon president’s Frederico Varandas.
The Red Devils have been linked with the Portuguese star for months as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer attempts to transform his squad this summer.
Marcel Keizer’s side have rebuffed all approaches from Old Trafford for their free-scoring midfielder so far.
And latest reports claim that the Lisbon-based club will also reject United’s latest offer in the hopes of landing a £70m fee for the 24-year-old.
“I don’t know if there are many or if there are few [interested clubs],” Frederico Varandas told RTP at Lisbon Airport.
“What I know, a lot has been spoken of values, coming to the press, €55m, €62m… for that he doesn’t leave, for sure.
“If Bruno Fernandes leaves, players with quality will come. But if Bruno leaves.”
Varandas also reportedly said “no” and walked away when he was asked again if there had been an official bid made for Fernandes.
Fernandes bagged 32 goals and grabbed 18 assists last season and Sporting were hopeful of starting a bidding war with Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
But United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently insisted the club will not pay over the odds after nearing an £80m move for Harry Maguire.
“We have been linked with so many players,” explained the Norwegian.
“I’m sure you don’t believe every single player that we’ve been linked with, but I think that Manchester United sometimes have, because of the wealth, maybe we have had to pay more, a bigger premium to get players in, and that’s just the world we live in.
“And we’ve taken our time, we’re not going to overpay, but we have to get the right people in, the right players.”
