The menace of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney during the heyday at Old Trafford may be matched by a new partnership for Manchester United. With Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund in his ranks, Erik ten Hag has called for an improvement in his attacking play this season, and it will be difficult to resist.Since his £47 million transfer in January 2020, Fernandes has developed into one of Europe’s top midfielders.

The 29-year-old has generated 317 more chances than any other Premier League player since the league’s 2020–21 season began. Trent Alexander-Arnold has 70 more points than that, while Kevin De Bruyne has 51 more.

However, United’s wastefulness in attack, which caused subpar team outcomes for the majority of his stay, may have contributed to his exclusion from the top discussion.

In 189 appearances for the Red Devils, Fernandes has tallied 65 goals and 55 assists, helping to boost the totals.

Additionally, he hasn’t let up while serving his country, scoring 17 goals and dishing out 16 assists in 59 appearances for Portugal.

Roberto Martinez’s team defeated Luxembourg 9-0 on Monday thanks to his most recent display of creative ability, which included three assists in less than an hour and a goal to cap it off.

United has spent £72 million on an unproven striker in Hojlund. The 20-year-old’s eye for goal, physicality, and athletic presence, though, give hope that there is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.His international exploits are just as impressive as Fernandes’, scoring six goals in his first seven caps for Denmark.

Along with Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku, Hojlund has scored the most goals in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying. He was created for this moment.And United will have plenty of those. Fernandes may only be at the top of his game for a few more years under Ten Hag, but Hojlund will be in charge for the next ten years.

As the most expensive striker in the club’s history, he will be expected to make an immediate impact if Atalanta is replaced by United.

But Fernandes might be the ideal person to help him reach his full potential right away. And Ten Hag will have his own Ronaldo and Rooney if the pair gels this season.

The two Old Trafford legends, who shared the same year of birth before going on to have careers that were similarly decorated, contributed both goals and assists during the five years they spent playing together under Sir Alex Ferguson.

One helped the other on 20 different occasions throughout their three years working together at United. Ten Hag wants Fernandes and Hojlund to advance to that level.

Fernandes’ inventiveness speaks for itself, and Hojlund has already shown, at such a young age, eye-catching link-up ability.

In sport, nothing is sure, but United might discover shortly that they have struck it rich.