Manchester United have been urged to cash in on captain Bruno Fernandes by Jamie Carragher, with the playmaker admitting earlier this year he had "concrete offers" to leave over the summer
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United applauds
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes (
Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Bruno Fernandes almost left Manchester United last summer, but ultimately decided to stay and sign a new long-term contract because the club "showed that it needed me".
Fernandes had "concrete offers" on the table from across Europe and Saudi Arabia, before deciding to put pen to paper on a lucrative deal that runs until 2027. However, a lot has changed at Old Trafford since he signed that extension, with manager Erik ten Hag replaced by Ruben Amorim.
There are expected to be plenty of changes under Amorim and that includes player sales, with Jamie Carragher suggesting United should consider selling Fernandes next summer to raise funds for new signings.
"A dilemma also looms with Bruno Fernandes," Carragher wrote in the Telegraph. "Unlike [Marcus] Rashford, Fernandes has been one of United's best players during a tough period and would have shone with more quality around him during his Old Trafford career.
"But he is 30 now and there may be value in offloading him to raise funds. I've always felt Fernandes is a great talent rather than a great player. He creates a lot of chances but can be very indisciplined with and without the ball.
"That makes it a lot harder for United to defend as a compact unit as he chases the ball all over the pitch. It looks like great commitment to the supporters but the manager will be tearing his hair out."
However, Fernandes is keen to stay at Old Trafford and explained in October that he feels the ongoing changes under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will lead to a "dream future" for United. "This vote of confidence from the club was very important for me," Fernandes told ESPN about his new deal.
Fernandes signed a contract extension earlier this year (
Image:
Manchester United via Getty Imag)
"Even because I was approached [by other clubs], the club was aware that there was a possibility of me leaving, I had concrete offers. But the club showed that it needed me, that it was at a time of change and that they wanted to do things differently.
"I believe there is a dream future at this club with the changes that are taking place. That's why I chose to stay. There were other directions that would have been interesting for me, other expectations. But I feel good here, I feel loved and I feel that the club has been very respectful of me."
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