Manchester United new boy Bruno Fernandes has revealed that he gave the squad gifts when he first arrived at Old Trafford to show how much they all meant to him.
The Portugal international joined in the January transfer window in a £67million deal from Sporting, settling in immediately as he scored two goals and laid on three assists in his first five Premier League outings to be named Player of the Month for February.
Fernandes feels his instant impact owes as much to his relationship with players off the pitch as on it, and went to great lengths to strike up friendships with his new teammates.
The 25-year-old reached out to a contact to get custom PlayStation controllers made, giving ones to David de Gea, Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka among others.
Speaking during a Q&A with MUTV from his home, Fernandes explained: ‘When you are training and when you are on the pitch, there you need to show how important your teammate is for you.
‘Out of the pitch, you can help also and it was really important for me, because everyone wants to help me. If I wanted shampoo, if I wanted anything, small things.
‘For example, I arrived and I talked with a guy I know from PlayStation and I gave joysticks to Aaron Wan-Bissaka, I gave one to Diogo, also David, Fred and I talk with the other players.
‘If someone wants one, just tell me and I can give you one, so from Manchester United, for example, David he took one for Dragon Ball Z, because he’s a fan and these are the kind of things.
‘When you arrive, you want to have this feeling that you can trust, if you need something I will help you, if I need something I know you will help me.’
On how he’s dealing with lockdown, Fernandes added: ‘I’m okay. You know, when you have your family close, it’s easier. It’s difficult with the little baby because she needs to spend the energy she has – and she has a lot of energy! But me, my wife and my child have some different ways, to do some games and spend our time together.’
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