Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes dropped a bombshell on Tuesday after claiming he felt the club wanted him to leave last summer
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes' future at Old Trafford is in doubt after his latest comments
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes' future at Old Trafford is in doubt after his latest comments(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
View Image
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes' future at the club is back in the headlines this week after an interview with Portuguese media surfaced on Tuesday. Conducted in his home country, the midfielder stated he was left 'hurting' by what he felt was the club being uninterested on whether he stayed or left.
Speaking to Canal 11, Fernandes suggested the club gave off the impression it 'would not be that bad' if the midfielder was to leave for Saudi Arabia. He added he wanted to stay at United for 'as long as he felt desired' but suggested he was also interested in playing in Spain, Italy and Portugal before retiring.
Fernandes turned 31 in September and has 18 months remaining on his current deal at Old Trafford. In January 2027, the midfielder would be able to negotiate with overseas clubs on terms for a free transfer at the start of the 2027/28 campaign.
The captain said back in October he was happy to stay at United and Ruben Amorim had made it clear he did not want Fernandes to leave. Fernandes has gone on to score five goals and bag seven assists since the conversations with the manager.
With this in mind, MEN Sport has asked its United writers for their thoughts on what happens next with Fernandes and whether the captain should stay or leave at the end of the campaign.
READ MORE: Ruben Amorim now has chance to be true to his word on Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester UnitedREAD MORE: Manchester United stance on Bruno Fernandes' future ahead of midfield investment
Tyrone Marshall
The time to sell Fernandes was probably last summer. That was when the big offer was on the table and when United could have pushed ahead with a rebuild under Amorim. If that fee isn’t on offer next summer, then there is no way a deal should be done.
Fernandes continues to prove his importance to this team week after week and they would be worse off without him. His 12 goals contributions in 16 league games this season again makes him the most valuable player in the team.
But what happens next is really all down to Fernandes now. It’s an unusual approach to bring his future back into the open and risk divisions wth club bosses. If United secure Champions League football next season, then there should be no need to consider a parting of the ways.
If they don’t, nobody could blame Fernandes for wanting out. He has given his all to this club and if it still isn’t where it should be next season, then that might be the moment to call it quits. He will be clearly difficult to replace, but it seems inevitable that at some point in the next year or two, that is the position United will find themselves in.
Jack Flintham
This situation seemed to have been put to bed by Fernandes himself in October when he expressed his desire to stay at Old Trafford for as long as the club wanted him. While United's playmaker has reiterated this stance to Canal 11, he seems to have added caveats which will concern supporters wanting to see the midfielder stay beyond the summer of 2026.
Undoubtedly, the 31-year-old's comments will have come as a shock to United and there will now be internal discussions about what this means moving forward. Fernandes has shown this season he remains influential and would benefit any top team in the big five leagues in Europe.
Having said that, he will have just one year remaining on his contract in the summer and if Fernandes is already weighing up the possibility of playing football elsewhere, there's a chance United miss out on recouping money by keeping him an extra 12 months. It is a harsh reality of football that personal connections have to be put to one side.
But getting £80m+ for Fernandes would help United rebuild not only their midfield, but potentially their defence too. If an offer around that figure was to be submitted for Fernandes, United may perhaps be right to take it.
However, if Kobbie Mainoo has left by then or the offer is simply lower than it was in the summer, United should be rejecting it and forging a new plan.