Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes insists he will stay at Old Trafford – if the club wants him. And Erik Ten Hag is adamant the club have no intention of letting Fernandes leave.
The Portugal international’s future has been the subject of speculation in recent days, with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan among the clubs linked with the influential 29-year-old.
Yet speaking after playing a prominent role in the Red Devils’ 3-2 victory over Newcastle – which maintained their hopes of European football into the final round of Premier League fixtures – Fernandes said he was keen to remain in Manchester.
Fernandes, who returned from a two-match lay-off in Wednesday’s encounter, told Sky Sports: “I will be here until… I said the club needs to want me. I feel that the club wants me to be a part of the future, so, as I said always, I don’t want to be a player that the club doesn’t want to have.
“If for some reason they don’t want to have me, I will go, but if they want me I will stay.”
And at his post-match press conference, manager Ten Hag said: “No, absolutely the club wants to keep Bruno. There’s no question, I think.
“I have to see the interview but, as far as I know, he loves Manchester United. He loves the fans from Manchester United and he loves to play for Manchester United. That is all I know.
“He gives always his best. He’s an example, even with injuries he’s playing. He loves football, but he wants to win.
“I’m very pleased with his performances across the season, because for him, it’s not easy when so many players are injured around him and every time, he has to carry the team.”
The club’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney, working at the game as a TV pundit, said it was important Fernandes stayed but was less enthusiastic on other members of the squad. He said on Sky Sports: “You have to build the team around Bruno. He’s the one player with quality and he has got fight in him.
“I think the young players (should also stay) and then all the other players, get rid of them. I think you keep the young players and Bruno and I think it has to be a massive clear-out.”
It has been a frustrating season for Ten Hag’s side, who are eighth and will need to better Newcastle’s result in their last game to claim a place in the Europa Conference League.
The Old Trafford club, who travel to Brighton on Sunday while Newcastle are at Brentford, could however still earn a Europa League spot by winning the FA Cup final.
Ten Hag, who thanked fans for their support after the game and promised to “give everything” to win the cup, said: “I don’t talk about pride – we are all disappointed with the season – but still, we can win something and we have to go for this.”
In terms of the game, Manchester United edged a lively contest with second-half goals from Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund after Anthony Gordon cancelled out Kobbie Mainoo’s opener.
Lewis Hall pulled one back in stoppage time but it came too late to spark a fightback, leaving Newcastle to rue some missed chances and a penalty decision that went against them.
The visitors felt they should have had a spot-kick after Sofyan Amrabat caught Gordon down his Achilles.
Manager Eddie Howe said: “It’s an absolute stonewall penalty. I don’t know how VAR has not got involved in that, that’s its job. But I think the thing that cost us the game was how we defended the goals. Each one, I think we’ll look back and hang our heads, really, because we should have done better. When you score two away from home, you expect something from the match.”
