Former director hails Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes after buying him for just €40,000

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Former Novara and Udinese sporting director Cristiano Giaretta has hailed Bruno Fernandes' 'rock-solid mentality' after signing him as a youth talent for just €40,000.

Now in the same role at Championship side Watford, Giaretta twice signed a young Fernandes when working in Italy. Having spent eight years in the youth set-up at Boavista in Portugal, the midfielder made his name in Italy, earning his first break into senior football at Novara.

Giaretta moved across to Udinese in 2013 and took the young Fernandes with him, before selling him to Sampdoria in 2016. The Portuguese international is now captain of Manchester United and Giaretta is proud of the role he played in nurturing an 'amazing player'. ALSO READ: The biggest fear in United's dressing room hasn't been exposed this season ALSO READ: Next chief executive might have the same problems as Richard Arnold “I was the only sporting director in Italy who went out and signed this young guy from Portugal for €40,000,” Giaretta, told the Watford Observer. “When I went from Novara to Udinese, I took Bruno Fernandes with me because it was clear he was an amazing player. "I think we paid €2.5million for him.

A few years later, Bruno Fernandes signed for Manchester United in a deal that, with bonuses, was worth in total 100 million euros. “Sometimes the deals work out.