Bruno Fernandes has been backed to thrive in the Premier League by one of his most influential coaches, former Swansea boss Francesco Guidolin.
The Portuguese midfielder is en route to Manchester for a medical with United ahead of his proposed £46.6million move from Sporting Lisbon, which could rise to £68m.
Guidolin, who worked with Fernandes during his spell at Udinese was once described by the 25-year-old as 'one of the most influential coaches in Italy and my career'.
The manager exclusively told Sportsmail: 'Manchester United have made a big purchase if they take Fernandes. He is a golden boy, always available and intelligent.
'He came from Novara, we (Udinese) paid him very little. The Pozzo family, also owners of Watford, have always invested heavily in young talent.
'He was very shrewd, quick and communicative, a Portuguese of great quality. In Udinese we played in Europe: he was good at becoming important starting from the bench.
'He talked a lot with me and I'm glad he called me the best coach I've had in Italy.
In terms of the role Fernandes will play in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, Guidolin thinks he works best as a balanced central midfielder.
He continued: 'For me Bruno Fernandes is a great box-to-box midfielder. I don't think he will have any difficulty.
'He is perfect for the Premier League because in the UK they are looking for very technical and fast players. His role is that of a universal midfielder: he can play as a left and right midfielder or in the middle. In a 4-2-3-1 he can make a right or left wing and also be the playmaker. Sure, he can't play as a No 9 but he's one of the few players who can play most roles.'
Guidolin, who became Swansea boss in January 2016 before being dismissed in October, does not believe Fernandes could have commanded such a large fee from an Italian team.
'The market in England is different. The value that can be read on tabloids is not sustainable for Italian football but Bruno Fernandes is still a great player.'
And when questioned about whether Fernandes has the physical capacity to compete with the best in the Premier League, the Italian thinks his former charge will cope.
'He will work on his physicality, but his quality is different. He is fast and he uses his head with great intelligence. Strength is relative for a player like him.
'Certainly jumping above the head of a defender in Premier will not be easy but he is a champion,' he concluded.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com