Bruno Fernandes: Man United make major decision over superstar | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly planning to secure Bruno Fernandes amidst persistent uncertainty over the captain’s future at the club.

The Existing Deal

There is a certain irony, perhaps driven by perceived injustice, that Fernandes‘ best season in a red shirt has come in the summer after he was linked with a move away from Old Trafford.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal proposed an eye-watering financial package to lure the 31-year-old to the Middle East last year. An offer as high as £100 million was the next step had he signalled his intention to accept it.

And while United never publicly pushed for their talismanic leader to leave, Fernandes felt that in private the hierarchy would have taken the money had it been tabled. At a minimum, he believed the club did not actively try to reject it.

Ultimately, Fernandes decided to rebuff Al-Hilal’s advances, aided by advice from his wife as well as then-head coach Ruben Amorim, who told his compatriot he wanted to build the team around the No 8.

Fast forward 10 months and Amorim has been replaced by interim boss Michael Carrick, with a growing certainty the former midfielder will be handed the reins permanently after securing Champions League qualification.

Fernandes is on course to break the Premier League’s assist record and is the frontrunner for Player of the Year — two realities which would not have materialised under Amorim.

The Maia native is understood to be happy with the current trajectory of the club. However, his existing contract — which runs until 2027, with the option of a one-year extension — contains a release clause worth £57 million to teams outside of England.

Interest from Saudi Arabia is expected to be renewed, with this price tag considered pocket change for Al-Hilal, while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are both credited as suitors. Fernandes would not entertain offers from the former, but the two latter clubs would make life very uncomfortable for United fans if they come knocking.

The New Deal

In response to this threat swirling around the team’s — and Premier League’s — best player, INEOS are now “set to accelerate contract talks” with Fernandes’ camp, Sports Boom reveals.

“Manchester United want captain Bruno Fernandes to commit his future to the club before this summer’s World Cup…Sources close to the situation have told SportsBoom that talks have been ongoing between United bosses and Fernandes’ representatives this season. The Red Devils are understood to have told the Portuguese playmaker they do not want to lose him under any circumstances this summer.”

The hope is for a breakthrough to be reached in order to put “pen to paper to a new deal before jetting off to North America for the World Cup” — which would mean just over a month to agree terms. A number of suitors are “monitoring negotiations between the two parties” in hopes of striking if a glimmer of doubt presents itself.

Fernandes is said to have asked for a “commitment” from INEOS to invest heavily in the squad ahead of a return to Europe’s elite competition next season. With a war chest expected to top last summer’s £240 million outlay, as one senior source predicts, this ambition looks to be shared by both parties.

Final Thoughts

On the pitch, there is no doubt Fernandes deserves a new contract on improved terms, particularly as his release clause leaves United susceptible to raids from the continent. However, off the pitch, the situation is more complicated.

He turns 32 in September, an age at which most footballers begin to slow down as Father Time takes its toll. You only need to look down the road towards Anfield to see the effect handing a big-money deal to an ageing superstar can have on a top team.

But Fernandes is ageing like the finest of wines, with a level of physical output and resistance to injury that defies a player who is 22 years old, let alone one a decade older. While there will always be a risk offering this type of extension, O capitão is as close to a sure thing as you can get.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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