All has not been well for Manchester United this season. There have been enough headlines written about that over the last six months, and there is perhaps not enough column space here to go through all the reasons. That said, fans of the club have seen some green shoots over January and February, not least in attack, where United’s forwards seem to have finally found their shooting boots. Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, and Alejandro Garnacho have all picked up in recent weeks, and there has been a growing sense that the front three offer a dynamic that may yet turn this season into a mildly successful one for United.
Of course, it is Bruno Fernandes that is the engine room behind that attack. Fernandes has not had his best season – by his own admission – but he has been quietly picking up form in 2024, and he is one of the key factors behind United’s recent rejuvenation in attack.
Portuguese António Oliveira is the new manager of Brazilian powerhouses Corinthians, joining the club on a contract until the end of the upcoming season from Cuiabá.
Portuguese boss Carlos Carvalhal has left his role as coach of Greek Super League side Olympiacos, just two months after taking charge in Piraeus.
A stat circulated online last month showing that Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto was having the best assists-per-minute season in Premier League history. Better than Manchester City man Kevin De Bruyne’s peak; better than Arsenal legend Thierry Henry – often considered the greatest player in modern English football.
The transfer window closed across most of Europe on Thursday evening without many high-profile deals, but there was still plenty of activity involving Portuguese players taking on new challenges.