Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed January signing Bruno Fernandes to have a similar impact on the current Old Trafford side as Paul Scholes did in years gone by.
Bruno arrived last month in a deal worth £46.6 million ($59m) from Sporting CP and has made a positive impression in the three appearances he has made for his new side.
Solskjaer is convinced the influence he will have on the team will be reminiscent of former England midfielder Scholes, who pulled the strings for the Red Devils over a career spanning 20 years, leading them to 11 Premier League titles and a couple of Champions Leagues among many other trophies.
“He reminds me of Scholesy as a player but definitely a different type of personality off the pitch,” the manager said of the 25-year-old new arrival.
“Against Club Brugge, when he’s on the bench, he walks around, he speaks to the players who start, he helps them, he gives them points.
“And the 10 minutes he played you could see that there’s a difference in our team.
“He’s another conductor and leader and winner. He wants to win. He doesn’t take 99 per cent as good enough and he’s impressed me.
“That’s something you see when you watch him but you don’t know about until you have him in your group. He’s been top class.”
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Meanwhile, Solskjaer has been impressed with the leadership abilities of Harry Maguire, who has been fast-tracked to the captaincy.
“I didn’t expect him to be captain this quickly but he’s been in the dressing room and with the coaches, he’s vocal, he’s got the experience, he’s got everything a captain should have,” the former striker said of the summer arrival from Leicester.
“It’s natural for him to take that role, his performances have helped.
“That was one of the attributes we looked at when we signed him.
“Harry’s his own man, but Man Utd is, if not the biggest, one of the two or three biggest clubs in the world and he’s now the frontman.
“You have to be thick skinned, you can’t sulk or feel sorry for yourself, you have to get on with things and be proactive. He’s got to lead men - we’ve got a few men and some boys as well - and he’s got to go in front as an example for everyone.
“You’ve got to be able to churn out games, play time and time again.
“He’s never asked for a rest, he plays internationals, he plays for us, he plays midweek and weekend and he’s that type of personality that wants to be out there on the pitch, that’s a leader.
“He organises paintballing, he organises a fining system, he’s taken on everything.”
Solskjaer’s side face Watford on Sunday before the second leg of their Europa League clash against Club Brugge, with who they drew 1-1 in midweek, on Thursday.