Al-Ittihad remain keen on Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes
Situations were not good for Manchester United from the start of the new season of the Premier League. Playing the first match against Arsenal on Sunday, the team showed a strong start in the initial moments, but a mistake by Altay Bayindir changed the whole story. Taking advantage of his weak clearance, Riccardo Calafiori scored a goal with a header, and United’s confidence was shattered.
Benjamin Sesko was brought on the field in the last 25 minutes, but the real danger came from Bryan Mbeumo, whose bicycle kick went out of the post, and after that, a brilliant header was saved by David Raya.
The result was clear, United lost the first match and started the season in the same painful manner as was seen during last year, when the team finished in 15th place and also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham. This time, the situation is even more difficult because they did not even get a place in European competitions.
Bruno Fernandes’ situation and Al-Ittihad’s interest
Al-Ittihad remain keen on Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes.
Bruno Fernandes stands as Manchester United’s lone spark in a dark start to the season.
Bruno Fernandes is still the biggest ray of hope in this dark environment. Last season, when the rest of the players were struggling, Fernandes tried to handle the team with consistent performance. In the summer, there were rumours about his name that he had turned down the offer from Saudi Arabia.
Now, Konstantinos Lianos‘ report has changed the picture. According to the news, Al-Ittihad have met Fernandes’ camp and the initial talks have been positive. It is being said that the 30-year-old is open to considering the offer this time. This news is shocking for United, because the club have trusted Fernandes in every difficult time so far.
His captaincy and consistent performance have made him United’s most important player. If he decides to leave at the fag end of the summer transfer window, the club will feel a big loss not only on the field but also inside the dressing room. It is also United’s misfortune that the team’s weak season have forced the players to think. The Portuguese international has shown loyalty so far, but given the situation, it seems he is looking at alternatives. The 30-year-old revealed the reason why he rejected the move to Saudi Arabia earlier.
Opinion:
The question now is whether Bruno Fernandes should consider moving to Al-Ittihad or not. On the one hand, United are indeed going through a tough time at the moment, and they are not getting much support. On the other hand, he recently turned down a Saudi offer, which shows that he has a strong attachment to the club.
The second issue is that if Fernandes leaves, United’s backbone will be broken at the back end of the summer transfer window, and right now, the club won’t have the opportunity to sign a proper replacement. Although a large transfer fee can allow the team to invest in new players for the future, it will not be easy to find a replacement for such a captain and creative midfielder.
The third and most important question is whether United should rely on Fernandes for a long time, given his age and the current situation. In our opinion, he is still the biggest star in the team, and his contribution will be invaluable for United for at least two to three years. The club should try to keep him at all costs instead of looking for an option to leave him right now. In other news, Adrien Rabiot is set to be offered to Manchester United this summer.