Casemiroplaceholder image
Casemiro | Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes is Man Utd’s main man but is it time to cash in on the Portuguese playmaker?
With 185 goal contributions in 294 games from midfield, the Portugal international has been the rarest of things during the turbulent post-Sir Alex Ferguson years, and that’s a player who every manager has been able to rely on. The 31-year old could still be at the club in 2028, if everyone is happy that is.
Should Man Utd sell Bruno Fernandes next summer?
Without Fernandes, relegation might have been a genuine concern last season given the number of points that the skipper almost single-handedly won. Amorim’s tenure as manager would almost certainly have come to an end too such has been his compatriot’s important since replacing Erik ten Hag. All good things must come to an end though.
Despite the long-term contract, Amorim is increasingly looking to find a space for Fernandes in his team rather than picking the playmaker in his best position and playing others around him. With two no.10 roles available, it seems obvious to pick the captain in his best position, however, the two big summer signings look like being the preferred options alongside Mason Mount, Amad Diallo is also more productive in a more attacking position rather than having to spend half of his time defending too.
With Fernandes playing in the double-pivot in a deeper role, United’s defence doesn’t have the same sort of protection that it would have with two specialists. The pre-season fixtures looked more promising with Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte playing together with both having a more natural instinct out of possession even if neither have anywhere the near the same sort of quality on the ball.
Given the £100m offer from Al Hilal earlier in the summer, United could make a lot of money for a player who could be replaced and tick a substantial PSR box. The players who have left this summer cost a lot of money originally and maybe didn’t bring a lot in, but what they did do was free up a lot of space on the wage bill when they emptied their lockers at the training ground.
Selling Fernandes could allow Amorim to sign a ‘proper’ no.6 or deep lying playmaker, a Luka Modric or Toni Kroos type, whilst also being able to replace Fernandes directly, Adam Wharton is improving every season and definitely has a hint of Michael Carrick about him.
With Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo having a year to settle, someone like Malick Fofana for as little as £32m due to Lyon’s financial problems would add a different dimension to United’s attack.
What has Fernandes said about leaving United?
Fernandes himself has consistently had to field questions about his future with Saudi Arabia always the most likely destination and he is fully aware that the final decision might be out of his hands:
"I've always said I will be here until the club says to me that it's time to go," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "I'm eager to do more, to be able to bring the club to great days.
"In the day that the club thinks that I'm too much or it's time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it. But I've always said it and I keep my word in the same way.
"If the club thinks it's time to part ways because they want to do some cash in or whatever, it's what it is, and football sometimes is like this."
Continue Reading