Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to leave the Premier League side in the summer.
The 30-year-old helped his side navigate a tricky Europa League quarter final fixture against Real Sociedad by scoring a hattrick in their 4-1 win over the Spanish side.
This comes off the back of criticism from former Red Devils man Roy Keane who questioned his leadership and ability as captain of the Old Trafford club.
His manager Ruben Amorim and the club’s owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe both heaped praise on the Portuguese star.
Fernandes Reveals Transfer Decision
Speaking to the BBC, the Manchester United captain revealed that he and the club faced a decision in the summer transfer window as to whether he would remain at the club or not.
Quotes
“I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave,”
“We talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying.
“They said what they wanted from me. I just asked if they still see me as part of the future of the club or not. I spoke at the time with (Erik) Ten Hag also.
“He was very clear with me, the club was very clear with me, that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild. I thought that we could be successful.”
What will Bruno Fernandes Position Be For Ruben Amorim?
Despite being a natural number 10, and occupying that spot just behind the attacker for much of former manager Erik ten Hag’s tenure. Ruben Amorim has been more willing to play him as part of the midfield two as a more deep-lying playmaker.
Depending on your interpretation, Amorim’s line-up either plays with two “10s” or none. One centre forward occupies the number nine, with two players just behind either side. These spots have been occupied by a range of different players including Zirkzee, Garnacho, Mainoo, Fernandes, Amad and more but the versatility of their captain has meant he is the perfect option to slot into the club’s midfield.
Is Fernandes Leaving Man Utd?
It is clear that the club trusts Bruno and the club captain has the willingness to stay. He has arguably been the Red Devil’s best player for several seasons so it is unlikely they will be willing to let him go.
That being said, with a rebuild on the cards and the finances looking dire, if a huge offer comes in it may make the higher ups sit and consider his future.
Can Amorim Bring Glory Back to Manchester United?
With a new £2 billion stadium on its way Manchester United will be keen to ensure they are back at the top of English football by the time it is build in the early 2030s. However, the task set in front of the Manchester United management and board appears to only be getting larger.
The club have been overspending in such a dangerous manner that Sir Jim Ratcliffe claims the richest club in the country would have run out of money by Christmas.
Cost cutting and restructuring has caused shockwaves across the club, especially whilst the Glazer family continue to take money out through dividend payments.
This has limited their power in the transfer window and it could be a good few years before they can flex their might once again.
Amorim therefore will have to work with a smaller, more cheaply assembled squad than his predecessors whilst also dealing with the mounting pressure that failure to challenge can bring. The former Sporting boss can bring glory back, but it will likely not be for a long time.