Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes acknowledges his manager Ruben Amorim
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes acknowledges his manager Ruben Amorim
Make no mistake, Manchester United would be preparing for trips to Oxford and Wrexham next season instead of Arsenal and Liverpool had it not been for the efforts of Bruno Fernandes.
His 19 goals and 20 assists inspired United to some results which may have been out of their reach had he been missing. This season, he really has been that crucial.
Therefore, it is highly concerning that United are relaxed by the prospect of him potentially leaving this summer. MEN Sport understands Fernandes' agent Miguel Pinho has been in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss the offer that is on the table from Al Hilal.
We believe that United are not only relaxed about the situation but are also refusing to rule out selling their key player. It is felt that every player in this current squad has a price and could be sold ahead of the new season.
While this is an admirable, no-nonsense approach from Ineos and the United boardroom, it is also a risky strategy when manager Ruben Amorim remains such an admirer of his captain. Just this week, Amorim expressed how important Fernandes is to the team and what he is looking to build at the club.
There has not once been a suggestion from Amorim that he would be happy to see Fernandes leave, even if it meant that a reasonable sum of money was brought into the club. He has always been insistent that the midfielder is a big part of this team and with good reason too.
United could bank £100m from Al Hilal for Fernandes and that sum of money could go a long way to bringing in two key players for next season. However, would they be of the same quality as Fernandes?
Currently, the Reds are not an enticing prospect, especially without Champions League football. Would they be able to lure a world class player to the club like Fernandes to replace him or would it be that the money is used on an unproven prospect?
That could work out really well for United and could set them up well in the long term. However, it is a risk and not one to be making when the rest of the squad is underperforming.
Selling Fernandes now, against Amorim's wishes, could not only damage United's squad but also ruin the trust built between the manager and the boardroom. Once lost, that is difficult to regain.
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