Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim urged the club to sign more players like Bruno Fernandes after the divisive captain put in another impressive display to help his side earn a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement 12 years ago, United have spent almost £1.3bn on signings – comfortably the largest outlay of any club on the planet over the same period. Yet, for all that expenditure, precious few arrivals have made a lasting impact – and even fewer can claim to be as successful as Fernandes.

“I think any coach when he wants to bring players, he expects the best, but sometimes they have to adapt and sometimes you have luck with the character of the player or not,” Amorim outlined when asked about the club’s mangled recruitment after Fernandes scored the opening goal in the draw with Arsenal. “Even with all the investigation that all the coaches do before signing players.

“What I can say is that we need more Brunos. That is clear. Not just the quality, the character – not some mistakes – but the character that he has, the availability in this league, is so important and he’s so decisive with the ball and without the ball.”

Not everyone shares Amorim’s admiration for Fernandes. Former United captain Roy Keane has repeatedly questioned the attitude of a player who never hides his emotions during a match. Yet Sunday’s stalemate with the Gunners, one of the few vaguely cohesive performances United have managed this season, was once again orchestrated by Fernandes.

“I think he steps up all the time,” Amorim said of his captain. “Sometimes, he can show some frustration in some moments that can hurt him more than anybody. And I understand that, it’s that frustration: he wants to win.

“But, again, he’s also always available, always there to play in different positions. And when we need sometimes a goal, a free kick, an assist, he’s always there. So I think he’s a very good example. He does some mistakes, that’s normal, but he’s a very good example for the other players.”

Fernandes, according to Amorim, should also be an example for United’s recruitment team ahead of the summer transfer window.