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Manchester United will consider £70m bids for Bruno Fernandes this summer, despite the 29-year-old’s huge impact on his squad.
Jamie Jackson (The Guardian) reveals that Old Trafford executives would only consider “serious offers” such as those “starting at least £70m” for the Portugal international.
However, there is widespread recognition among Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Sport team that Fernandes is “United’s best player” and that there is “no need to sell” the 29-year-old this summer.
Both Bayern Munich and Barcelona have been linked with moves for Fernandes in recent weeks, while the prospect of a huge offer coming from the Saudi Pro League remains a realistic prospect.
The United captain is believed to want a pay rise from his £220,000-a-week contract to the top earners at Old Trafford – in the region of £300,000-a-week. He also wants reassurance on INEOS’s direction for the club moving forward, as well as clarity on the future of Erik ten Hag or the identity of a potential replacement for the Dutchman.
From United’s perspective, Fernandes has two years left on his current contract, with an option to extend for a further twelve months. As such, there is no immediate pressure to make a decision on a player who will turn 30 at the start of next season.
Fernandes’ incredible injury record and tireless work means the midfielder has played a lot of high-intensity football at this stage of his career. It would not be unfair for United’s chiefs to be wary of their captain starting to slow down as he enters his 30s, especially with the likes of Raphael Varane and Casemiro proving costly mistakes by being handed expensive contracts late in their careers.
However, it would be hard to underestimate how important Fernandes is to the United team right now.
The midfielder, along with Diogo Dalot, are the only senior players at Old Trafford who could hold their heads high this season. Despite playing in a disjointed and poor team, Fernandes managed to return 15 goals and 13 assists. His performance in the FA Cup final was a captaincy at a time when his club needed it.
In the dressing room, Fernandes is also a hugely positive influence. Old Trafford hasn’t always been a place of professionalism or commitment to the club in recent years, but those are the attributes the United captain demonstrates in spades.
With the current team consisting of a number of talented youngsters, having an experienced leader to help guide them should be seen as a positive rather than a negative. This may not be the case in Bavaria or Barcelona, where the culture at the club is far healthier than in Manchester, but Fernandes’ influence at Old Trafford is unquestionable.
As such, while the soon-to-be 30-year-old Fernandes may not be valued at more than £70m to any potential suitors (outside of Saudi Arabia), the United captain should be worth more than that to a club that could be thrown into disarray without his influence, and on and off the field.
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