Former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson has lavished praise on the club's January recruit Bruno Fernandes.

The Portugal international was strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford last summer before ultimately securing a move to the English giants in the winter transfer window.

Fernandes has scored three times and provided four assists in his first nine appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, and Robson has hailed the 25-year-old's "terrific impact".

"I think it's been a terrific impact and the first signs are he looks like a top player. He is always on the move, always wanting the ball, has got a great touch and makes double movements, a bit like Scholesy [Paul Scholes] used to do," Robson told MUTV.

"It's where you go one way and come back and you've got a couple of yards of space, so he can get on the ball in that way. His energy levels and pace looks really good and he has showed he can hit a pass and score goals. So the initial period where he's been at the club looks great. Great signs.

"I've already seen him around the training camp and he gets on really well with the boys, seeing as he's only been here a couple of months. What I do like to see when he's on the pitch is, even though he's a forward-minded player, he's already swivelling and looking on his shoulder, demanding of his teammates."

Fernandes scored 63 times and registered 52 assists in 137 appearances for Sporting ahead of his move to Old Trafford.