Manchester United have brought in Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus but his arrival is sure to have a major impact on Bruno Fernandes.
While Bruno Fernandes is surely happy that his international teammate will be joining his club but the gossip vines are ripe that the playmaker will have to give up penalty and free-kick duties now that CR7 has arrived.
A major chunk of Bruno’s goals at Man United have come from spot-kicks and if Ronaldo is really taking penalties then Fernandes’ goals will severely dry up.
Former Man United defender Rio Ferdinand has spoken on this topic and according to the pundit, the No 10 is probably going to look at the bigger picture in this whole scenario.
Speaking on his FIVE’s YouTube channel, Ferdinand said, as quoted by MEN: “I think Bruno gives up the penalties, but doesn’t relinquish free-kicks and corners — unless he doesn’t take corners. Free-kicks around the box, he’s going to be on them I think.
“I think he will be. His record demands that he should do that. I think he [Ronaldo] takes the penalties, 100 per cent, they agree to give him the penalties, but free-kicks around the box I think Bruno is wiping the ball down and taking it from there.
“Bruno sees the bigger picture; ‘This guy can get us over the line to win trophies’.
“If that means his percentage of goal involvements goes down, but gets his hands on a big trophy, I know that he would take that all-day long.”
Ronaldo has been a colossal goal-scorer ever since he joined Real Madrid but Bruno Fernandes has also scored 43 goals and provided 25 assists in 83 appearances for Man United.
It will unquestionably be a bad feeling for the playmaker to give up spot-kicks but there’s no denying that with CR7 in the side no one else is going to take up that responsibility.
Another major plus for Fernandes will be that with Ronaldo playing up top so the Portuguese playmaker will finally have a world-class target to aim for inside the six-yard box.
