Nani admits encouraging Bruno Fernandes to join Manchester United last season.
The 34 year-old is now captain of Orlando City in the USA.
Nani and Fernandes have been friends since playing together during Nani's second spell at Sporting Lisbon.
He told the Athletic: "I was the first one to tell him he should go to England and if he decides to go to England, if he can choose Man United it would be the best thing for him.
"That was funny because a couple of months later when I went to Orlando I saw the news and I texted him because I was seeing Man City and Man United and Tottenham were fighting for him and I said, 'If you have to go, you choose Man United! It's the best!'"
