Despite Bruno Fernandes’ significant contribution on his club, Manchester United will entertain offers for the 29-year-old starting at £70 million this summer.
According to Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, Old Trafford officials would only entertain “serious offers” for the Portuguese international if they “begin at a minimum £70 million.”
Though there is “no push to sell” the 29-year-old this summer, Fernandes is widely acknowledged by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Sport staff as “United’s finest footballer.”
In recent weeks, Fernandes has been linked to moves to Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and it’s still possible that the Saudi Pro League will make a sizable bid.
The captain of United is rumoured to demand a boost from his current £220,000 weekly salary to the highest paid position at Old Trafford, which is estimated to be over £300,000. In addition, he seeks clarification over Erik ten Hag’s future and the name of the Dutchman’s possible successor, as well as assurances regarding INEOS’s direction for the team going ahead.
Fernandes’ current contract has two years left on it, according to United, and he can choose to extend it by an additional year. Therefore, there isn’t any rush to decide on a player who will turn 30 at the beginning of the following season right now.
Fernandes has played a lot of high-intensity games at this point in his career because of his amazing injury record and dedicated work ethic. Executives at United should be concerned about their captain’s potential for slowing down as he approaches his thirties, especially in light of the costly blunders made by players like Raphael Varane and Casemiro who were offered hefty contracts late in their careers.
However, it would be challenging to overstate Fernandes’ current significance to the United team.
The midfielder is the only senior player at Old Trafford who can hold their head high this season, along with Diogo Dalot. Even though he was a member of a disorganised and unproductive team, Fernandes still managed to contribute 13 assists and 15 goals. He gave a captain’s performance in the FA Cup final, exactly when his team needed it.
Additionally, Fernandes has a really beneficial influence in the dressing room. Although professionalism and devotion to the team have not always been there at Old Trafford in recent years, United’s captain exhibits these qualities admirably.
The present team is made up of many young, gifted players, thus having an experienced leader to assist develop them should be considered as a plus rather than a drawback. This might not be as true in Barcelona or Bavaria, where the club culture is significantly healthier than in Manchester, but there is no denying Fernandes’ impact at Old Trafford.
Therefore, even though the soon-to-be 30-year-old Fernandes might not be worth more than £70 million to any potential suitors (apart from Saudi Arabia), the captain of United ought to be worth more to a team that would be in disarray without his influence—both on and off the pitch.
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