There was by no means a uninteresting second for Manchester United after Bruno Fernandes threw within the proverbial grenade after Monday’s thrilling 4-4 win over Bournemouth.
The Portuguese prodigy responded with wild celebrations after taking a pinpoint free-kick to degree the rating at 3-3 that evening, however the query was who he was firing it at.
Now, following the publication of an interview reportedly carried out a number of weeks in the past, wherein the 31-year-old claimed that he felt some within the Previous Trafford hierarchy had meant to promote him over the summer season however lacked the “braveness” to take action, he might now have his reply.
The United captain, who beforehand overtly talked about turning down a transfer to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, additionally flirted with the prospect of securing a transfer after opening up the potential of taking part in the remainder of his profession in Italy or Spain.
“Man United needed me to go away final summer season. That is what’s on my thoughts.” “I informed the managers this, however I do not assume they’d the braveness to make that call,” Fernandes informed Canal11.
With 18 months left on his present contract with Manchester, Fernandes has ensured his future will stay a subject of dialog till not less than subsequent summer season, with plans wanted to be made in case the midfielder is left to pasture new.
Manchester United transfer to signal future captain to switch Fernandes
The timing of this stunning interview is attention-grabbing, as Fernandes seems to have lastly settled into Ruben Amorim’s midfield duo, having scored seven objectives and supplied an help in his final 4 Premier League video games.
In reality, solely Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland has surpassed the previous Sporting CP star’s tally of 12 objective involvements thus far within the 2025/26 season, and the United talisman stays extremely influential on this deeply rooted function.
Fernandes, who took over as captain in the summertime of 2023 after Harry Maguire was stripped of his tasks by Erik ten Hag, has been on the coronary heart of every little thing good on the membership for greater than 5 years, notably ending final season with 38 objectives and assists in all competitions.
But when the top is in sight, Amorim and INEOS might want to exchange not solely an imposing midfielder, but additionally an vital mentor – the present top-flight captain in Marc Gehi.
Based on TEAMtalk, United are one in every of numerous golf equipment in talks with the Crystal Palace star’s agent, with the Purple Devils informing the Englishman’s agent that they’re keen to supply him phrases forward of 2026.
Any suitor might swoop in to signal a knockdown deal in January, however hopes stay that the 25-year-old will go away Selhurst Park without spending a dime when his contract expires in June, with stories outlining how his interior circle view him as probably “probably the most needed free brokers of all time”.
How comfortable United could be to poach the previous Chelsea man as a substitute, having come so near becoming a member of Liverpool earlier than the deadline earlier this 12 months.
Why Guehi may very well be the right participant for Manchester United
A lot of the eye for the brand new signing has been on the midfield unit and wing-back function, with the seek for the latter resulting in United’s robust curiosity in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.
As reported this week, the Ghanaian is regarded as open to a transfer following Monday evening’s spectacular strike, with a launch clause coming into impact from January 1, making the Cherries talisman out there for £65m.
Whereas a scarcity of huge and central depth stays a key problem, United’s latest video games have additionally uncovered how even their line of defense appears to put on down comparatively rapidly, forcing Amorim to usher in one thing of a makeshift lineup that features a pair of youngsters, Lenny Yolo and Aiden Heaven, alongside Luke Shaw.
Maybe predictably, that new look set-up seemed creaky and chaotic, with Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt being absent and being left open too simply that evening.
With Maguire himself out of contract this summer season and Lisandro Martinez simply coming back from an ACL downside, additional centre-back reinforcements could also be precisely what is required.
Certainly, it will not be stunning if Guehi rapidly takes up a number one function in Amorim’s aspect, probably even replicating the armband his compatriot Maguire wore shortly after beginning his Previous Trafford profession, changing Ashley Younger as captain in January 2020 after simply six months on the membership.
Guehi, the person who led Palace to FA Cup glory final season by defeating Manchester Metropolis within the showpiece recreation at Wembley, has rightly been praised for his standout performances in recent times and has been described by expertise scout Jacek Kulig as a “beast” of a defender.
Guehi vs De Ligt – 25/26 PL Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (*per recreation) | Guehi | de raise |
recreation | 15 | 13 |
begins | 15 | 13 |
Objective (help) | 2(2) | 1 (0) |
Move accuracy* | 86% | 88% |
Key move* | 0.9 | 0.2 |
Tackles and interceptions* | 2.9 | 2.7 |
Win a floor duel* | 62% | 65% |
Win an air battle* | 71% | 62% |
clear sheet | 6 | 1 |
Statistics by Sofascore | ||
The Three Lions star, who has 26 caps and is now an everyday at worldwide degree, has beforehand captained the Beneath-21 group and was praised by former caretaker supervisor Lee Carsley for his “management qualities”.
With the likes of Maguire and Casemiro out of contract, Martinez struggling numerous accidents and the aforementioned De Ligt not even a part of Amorim’s present management group, it will be no shock to see Gehi take over the captaincy if United can win the race for him.
A person who ranks within the prime 6% of Premier League centre-backs for progressive carries in response to FBref and within the prime 8% for progressive passes per 90, Guehi is the right fashionable defender but additionally has that old-school defensive aptitude, profitable 71% of his aerial duels this season in response to Sofascore.
A move is taken into account progressive if the gap between the start line and the subsequent contact is not less than 10 meters nearer to the finished move into the opponent’s objective or into the penalty space.
So whether or not Fernandes leaves subsequent summer season or later, Guehi could be greater than worthy of taking on as captain at Previous Trafford.
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Manchester United are aiming to signal the midfielder in 2026.
