Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has hailed \u2018outstanding\u2019 Bruno Fernandes for the \u2018unbelievable\u2019 impact he has had on Manchester United, honoring him as among the best midfielder in the world. The former Ligue 1 coach also revealed how he had tried to sign him for Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n
Chelsea host Manchester United in a huge Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and will be facing Fernandes.<\/p>\n
Fernandes has been outstanding for Man United since signing for a fee of around \u00a367m and has rapidly established himself as one of the most impressive talents in the game since his move from Sporting Lisbon to Old Trafford in January 2020. The Portuguese playmaker has scored 34 goals in 60 games for United and is among the frontrunners to be crowned Premier League Player of the Year.<\/p>\n
The story could have had a totally different outcome had Tuchel got his way when he was with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, with the now Chelsea boss disclosing that he had fought hard to take Fernandes to Paris.<\/p>\n
After ex-PSG sporting director Antero Henrique had alerted Tuchel to Fernandes\u2019 talents, he became determined to sign him after watching extensive footage of the talented midfielder in action.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my first sporting director in Paris, Antero Henrique, he knew (Fernandes) very well and we fought hard to have a connection to him and to bring him to our team,\u201d Tuchel explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a big personality for Sporting and an effective goalscorer and an effective guy to make the other players around more dangerous.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impact he has had since he arrived at Manchester United is indescribable and unbelievable.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo come from Portugal, from a competitive team, a big club but not from the strongest league and step in a year to one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and the strongest league in Europe and to have this kind of impact, I have nothing but the biggest respect for this guy. It is outstanding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is one of the best midfielders in the world, attacking midfielders, and he has a huge, huge impact and to have this as a single person in football, you must be absolutely top level because this is almost impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n
The German further recalled:<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring my first year in Paris, not sure if it was the first transfer period or second or third, I am not sure. It was just when we arrived in the summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got aware of him more in detail because of my sporting director that knew him very well, so we watched more and more games about him and followed him and tried to be in touch with him to make it happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously he decided and I was never personally in touch with him but we tried and he went another way. Bad for us that we have to play against him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tuchel has himself made an impressive start to his Chelsea career \u2013 but must now find a way to stop the Portuguese midfield machine.<\/p>\n
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