Manchester United are on the verge of signing Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon for an initial £46.6 million fee after the two clubs finally made a breakthrough in negotiations for the Portugal midfielder.

Fernandes, 25, is expected to fly in to Manchester as early as Wednesday ahead of a medical after a deal was agreed in principle and could make his United debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Saturday barring any unforeseen complications.

He is due to sign a four and a half year contract to June 2024, which will include the option of another 12 months, and may even be at the Etihad Stadium to watch the second leg of United’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Wednesday.

At a time of growing unrest among United supporters angry at the way the club is run by the Glazers and Ed Woodward, Fernandes’ impending arrival will quell fears that the transfer window could close without reinforcements as well as ease Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midfield crisis.

Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba are both out injured and Solskjaer has doubts over the fitness of Nemanja Matic for the City game, with the United manager claiming his makeshift side will need to deliver the “perfect performance” to overturn a 3-1 first leg deficit to reach the final at Wembley on March 1.