Manchester United have decided to ‘shelve talks’ with Bruno Fernandes over a new contract as Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘prioritises new signings instead’.
Fernandes enjoyed a stellar campaign for United as he drove the Red Devils back into the Champions League with a record 21 assists, which saw him clean-sweep the individual Premier League awards.
The Portuguese star has been heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford over the past year and it has been unclear whether he will commit his future to the club.
Fernandes reportedly came close to securing a move to the Saudi Pro League last summer and the midfielder has since suggested that club chiefs wanted him to leave to raise funds for signings.
Our colleagues at TEAMtalk have provided ‘details behind the Fernandes U-turn’ at Man Utd last month, with the club now desperate for him to stay due to his performances and leadership.
The report adds:
‘Our sources understand the 31-year-old has adapted brilliantly to Carrick’s management and has become one of the strongest voices backing the interim Man Utd boss behind the scenes.
‘Sources state Fernandes is among the senior players who have actively supported Carrick’s case with the club’s leadership group, firmly believing he is the right figure to lead United forward permanently.’
Ratcliffe ‘prioritises new signings’
With Champions League football secured and Carrick’s tenure made permanent at Old Trafford, Fernandes is keen to remain at the club, but Mirror now claim that the Red Devils have decided that talks over a new deal can now wait until after the World Cup despite previous reports suggesting they wanted his future secured before the tournament.
Club chiefs are said to be ‘relaxed about the situation’ after being ‘assured Fernandes will remain at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future’. He’s about to enter the final year of his contract, but has an option to extend by a further 12 months.
The playmaker ‘made it clear he had no desire to leave’ when he spoke to senior figures at the club before jetting off to North America with Portugal for the World Cup.
They will ‘open negotiations before the end of 2026’ but for now it’s claimed Ratcliffe has ‘prioritised making new signing instead – and has put the future of Fernandes on the back burner’.
The 32-year-old has a release clause of £55m but United are ‘confident no club would be willing to meet it’, particularly as he currently earns £300,000 per week.
United have already struck a £35m deal with Atalanta to sign midfielder Ederson and have also been linked with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall as a new left-back.
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