Bruno Fernandes has told Manchester United that he is happy to stay at the club as long as the feeling is mutual. Which... makes him like pretty much every other footballer in the world who is content at their current club.
Returning from injury, the midfielder once again ran the show in the middle of the park in Wednesday evening’s 3-2 win over Newcastle United, posing the visitors constant problems with well-placed balls over the top as Erik ten Hag’s side picked the Magpies off on the counter-attack.
Fernandes’ late assist for Rasmus Hojlund was Fernandes’ 12th in all competitions this season, on top of having scored 15 goals, and his constant positive influence in an otherwise underwhelming side has naturally drawn speculation that he may be expensively sold to make way for what is expected to be a busy summer of overhaul for Manchester United.
If Manchester United star's Bruno Fernandes' words were an 'ultimatum', it was the worst one of all time
With two years on his current contract and set to turn 30 in September, there’s an argument that this may be prime time for United to cash in to maximise the value they get out of the Portuguese amid reported interest from Bayern Munich and Saudi Arabia.
But Fernandes has also been by far United’s most consistently productive player since joining the club in 2020 and his style of play would seem to lend itself well to a graceful ageing process, which seems appropriate for a man from the region that gave the world port.
When asked about his future, Fernandes calmly told Sky Sports after helping United to their midweek victory: "The club needs to want me.
“I feel the club wants me to be a part of the future. 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.”
Bruno Fernandes has his say on his future at Manchester United 👀 pic.twitter.com/MfA7wczcmSMay 15, 2024
Which seems fair enough, doesn't it? Not everything has to be some sly cryptic slight.
But that hasn’t stopped some tabloids from declaring Fernandes’ incredibly reasonable words as being an ‘ultimatum’. If it had been intended as such, then ‘if they want me, I will stay’ is the very worst ultimatum of all time.
Others have made a great meal out of ten Hag coming over to take Fernandes off to join the rest of the squad for the on-pitch speech the manager delivered to the Old Trafford crowd, as if the Dutchman was intentionally trying to stop Fernandes saying something controversial.
The reality is that ten Hag will have had no idea what Fernandes was saying and simply wanted him to be there with his teammates. It's almost as if people are going out of their way to engineer controversy out of entirely innocuous words and actions, who can say.
Ten Hag soon confirmed that Fernandes remains in United’s plans, saying: “Absolutely the club wants to keep Bruno.
“I have to see the interview, maybe your interpretation, but everything I know from him he loves Manchester United, the fans of Manchester United and to play for Manchester United. He gives always his best and is an example, even with injuries.
“Bruno loves football and wants to win. That is how I would describe his character. I am very pleased with his performances. It is not easy when so many players are injured around him and he has to carry the team.
“He keeps in a good level and even a high level, especially in the spring, when he grew to a brilliant level.”
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