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Bruno Fernandes must leave Man Utd– he's just a commodity to Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Bruno Fernandes should be off from Manchester United like a shot.

He owes United nothing, having carried them on his back for the last few seasons. And his reward for this is to be left stuck in a team without European football - or a cat in Hell's chance of winning the title next season.

Fernandes has been one of the few shining lights in the red half of Manchester in recent times. A beacon amid all the darkness which has engulfed one of the world's biggest and most successful football clubs. But towards the end of this season he spent moments looking around him with some sort of disdain towards certain team-mates.

A glance which said, 'how has it come to this?' And then came the most damning of comments in the wake of United's crushing Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.

When asked about his immediate future, Fernandes basically produced a response which was akin to him encouraging his club bosses to sell him.

Bruno Fernandes

Sir Jim Ratcliffe could cash in on Fernandes (Image: Getty Images)

He will be 31 in September and is approaching the age when big names look to cash in one last time in their careers and moves don't come more lucrative than ones to Saudi Arabia.

The Portuguese midfielder can quadruple his wages there, to around £800,000-a-week and these numbers are sometimes almost impossible to turn down, even for footballers already rich beyond their wildest dreams.

Fernandes will know that him leaving Old Trafford would leave the team in an even deeper hole, but that's not his problem. And besides, club bosses have just made him go on a farcical post-season tour to Hong Kong and Malaysia. So he also knows where United's skewed priorities lie.

Bruno Fernandes

Fernandes can escape Old Trafford for the riches of Saudi Arabia (Image: Getty Images)

To the likes of co-owners the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Fernandes is just a commodity. He might be a great footballer, but his value in the transfer market is far greater to Ratcliffe & Co. Which means the chance to sell him, and boost club coffers to the tune of £100m, is one too important to turn down.

Manager Ruben Amorim won't like it one bit. And nor should he. But United are a business - and losing Fernandes is the least of his problems.

Fernandes must be selfish and do what is best for him and his family, and staying at United to be part of a team so mediocre it's untrue, is not even close to being the best option.

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