Scott McTominay Backs Bruno Fernandes, Odion Ighalo to 'Bring a Lot' to Man Utd

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has said he has been impressed with January arrivals Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo and that he is hoping they can be important players for the side.

Fernandes signed for £46.6 million from Sporting CP, while former Watford striker Ighalo joined on loan from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Greenland Shenhua late on deadline day.

Speaking to Sky Sports, McTominay said:

"They're really, really nice guys.

"First and foremost they are good people and that's what we need at this football club. We need good friends, who you can go out to dinner with.

"What they bring onto the football pitch—we've seen that. Hopefully they can bring a lot for us. First impressions are very good."

United let Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez leave for Inter Milan last summer, so their attacking options this season consisted of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood. Paul Pogba remained their chief creative option, but he has been injured for most of the season.

The Red Devils will be without Rashford for at least another month after he suffered a back injury in January. Sports writer Sam Pilger believes the recent arrivals significantly improve their options:

Fernandes made his debut as United were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Although United failed to find the net in a Premier League game for the eighth time this season, Fernandes left a good impression on Squawka's Muhammad Butt:

Football statistician Dave O'Brien shared the numbers behind the midfielder's performance:

The 25-year-old contributed 15 goals and 14 assists in 28 matches for Sporting this season, so his arrival should increase United's output from midfield considerably.

Meanwhile, Ighalo has ingratiated himself with fans following his first interview as a Red Devils player:

Rory Smith of the New York Times believes the striker could be a shrewd acquisition in the circumstances:

The Nigerian has contributed a combined 46 goals and eight assists in 74 games for Changchun Yatai and Shanghai since he moved to the CSL in 2017.

United's decision to bring him in for the remainder of the campaign will largely have been because of his 2015-16 campaign with Watford, though. He notched 18 goals in all competitions—16 in the Premier League—and five assists.

It will likely take both players time to settle into their new surroundings, but the Premier League's winter break has come at a good time for United. They won't play again until their match with Chelsea on February 17, by which point they will have had more than two weeks to work with Fernandes and Ighalo in training.