Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has confirmed he still dreams of doing more to boost his legacy at the club.
Despite recently being crowned the FWA Footballer of the Year after a stunning campaign at Old Trafford, Fernandes continues to be linked with a high-profile exit from the club in a deal that would help fund a much-needed midfield rebuild.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia are keen, having failed to get a deal over the line for Fernandes last summer, while there will undoubtedly be interest across Europe in a player on the cusp of breaking the Premier League’s single-season assist record.
Speaking to the FWA, Fernandes admitted his pride towards following club legends like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sir Bobby Charlton in winning the annual prize, but confessed he is not content with the current state of his legacy at United.
“I want to achieve everything that those players achieved in terms of winning with the club,” he promised. “But being in their company with this award is massively important for me and I won’t hide from that.
“It will always be the prize for me. That’s always what my goal has been. I’ve never hidden from that. I’m not very good at hiding things!
“I speak out whenever I want on what I want to achieve and what I want to achieve is winning the league and winning the Champions League.”
Could Bruno Fernandes Leave Man Utd This Summer?
One look at Fernandes’s season stats would raise immediate questions about why United would even consider selling.
With eight goals and an eyewatering 19 assists, Fernandes is in some of the best form of his life and has been directly responsible for so much of United’s success, particularly since the arrival of interim manager Michael Carrick in January.
At 31 years old, there can be no denying that Fernandes’s career is in its twilight, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. He will not be a long-term part of the Old Trafford furniture, but there are no reasons to believe he is not capable of leading the team into a bright future.
Unfortunately for Fernandes, he could fall victim to the increasingly transactional view of the modern game.
United spent big on players last summer and are expected to do so again this summer, with a midfield shopping spree that could easily eclipse $269 million (£200 million) on the cards.
The harsh reality is that some players will have to be sold to help fund those moves, and Fernandes is among the most valuable assets on the books.
Fernandes has made it clear he wants to remain with United but will not block an exit if the club decide they want to cash in on him. Those in charge at Old Trafford will have no desire to lose Fernandes as a player, but as an asset, his hypothetical exit would ultimately go a long way.
Qualifying for the Champions League will have eased a lot of the financial pressure on United, who will pocket huge sums just for playing in Europe’s top competition next season. The need to sell Fernandes has dwindled but, given the extent of United’s recruitment plans this summer, an exit—albeit a highly unlikely one—simply cannot be ruled out.
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