'He would give everything for me' - Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes reveals desire to play alongside Barcelona's Raphinha once again

• Fernandes, Raphinha played together at Sporting
• Raphinha struggling at Barca
• Linked with a move away from Camp Nou

WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilian was reportedly a target for United last summer, but a move to Old Trafford never materialised. But after failing to establish himself as a regular starter at Camp Nou, rumours of an early exit have circulated - and his former teammate has further fueled speculation in a recent interview.

WHAT THEY SAID: Fernandes acknowledged the two players had a good relationship on the pitch: “The chemistry between me and him was really good. I didn’t play with him for a long time at Sporting, but I felt he was a team-mate who would give everything for me.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Fernandes and Raphinha played for Sporting CP together for one season before the latter moved on. Despite their brief time together, it's clear that Fernandes holds Raphinha in high regard. His comments come with Raphinha struggling to establish himself at Barcelona. Though he has six goal contributions in all competitions, the Brazilian winger appears to be behind Ousmane Dembele in the pecking order.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR RAPHINHA? The forward will continue to fight for his spot in the Barcelona lineup as the Catalan giants continue to pursue a league title.