Bruno Fernandes reveals Ole Gunnar Solskjær target ‘asked for his shirt’ before Manchester United transfer snub

Bruno Fernandes has revealed that one of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s prime targets once asked for his shirt before snubbing a summer transfer to Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s time as manager of Manchester United is generally viewed as a period of what could have been by the club’s fans.

The former United striker was drafted in as an interim manager after Jose Mourinho was sacked, but after a period of fantastic form in the first months of 2018, the club handed him a three-year contract.

Across the subsequent transfer windows, Solskjær asked the club for a series of signings that never got over the line and have since gone on to perform to world-class levels such as Erling Haaland at Manchester City and Declan Rice at Arsenal.

Solskjær was then fired in late 2021 after a series of poor results before being replaced by Ralf Rangnick for the remainder of the season and Erik ten Hag then joined as the new manager in 2022.

Which target asked for Fernandes shirt?

One signing under Solskjær that has paid dividends ten times over is Bruno Fernandes, who signed in January 2020 and has since gone on to become club captain and is cementing himself as an Old Trafford and Premier League legend.

Fernandes recently did an interview with club media showing off his vast shirt collection, and he named a few Premier League player shirts he has collected over the years.

“I have De Bruyne’s, for example. He is someone that I’ve always really liked and respect a lot for what he has done in football,” Fernandes said.

“Martin Odegaard also, I also exchanged with both of them. I have exchanged the shirts with players that play in my position, that I really like, and I really think that they are top-class players, like Cole Palmer, I have his shirt also.”

Further, Fernandes revealed that Rice, who was at West Ham at the time, also asked for his shirt amid rumours United wanted to bring him in, although the move never materialised.

“I don’t know if there’s anyone but I wouldn’t mind asking them if I do think so,” Fernandes continued. “Declan Rice, when he was still at West Ham. He asked me, at the time, when we swapped because I know he does have a big collection. I also have a Son one from Tottenham.”

Why Rice’s move to United failed

United have spent almost a decade searching for a long-term defensive midfielder, and despite signing players such as Fred, Nemanja Matic, and Casemiro over the years, they have failed to find a consistent player.

Rice signed for Arsenal for around £105 million in 2023 and has been pivotal for Mikel Arteta’s side ever since, and has also been a part of one of England’s best squads in a decade.

However, he was close to joining United in the years prior to his Arsenal move, with Solskjær a big fan of the player.

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According to a report from 2021, although Solskjær was an admirer of rice, the club’s recruitment team snubbed a move for the English international as they did not believe the player possessed the qualities to elevate the Norwegian team to the next level.

United then had “a clear run” at Rice in 2022 amid Ten Hag’s arrival but passed up on the opportunity once again as they refused to meet West Ham’s valuation of over £100 million.

The next summer, Arsenal then paid that fee, and to this day, United are still searching for a midfielder who can hold down the middle of the park.

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