With hope that an agreement is imminent, Manchester United and Bruno Fernandes are negotiating a contract extension. The Portuguese midfielder had constructive talks with key United executives about the team’s goals under the new INEOS-led sporting setup, according to a May article from The Athletic.
The expectation now is that Fernandes, who turns 30 next month, will extend a contract that now runs through June 2026 with an option for an additional 12 months. Fernandes was pleased by those discussions.
Since moving from Sporting Lisbon to join in January 2020, the midfield player has been a bright spot. He joined a club that lacked a spark for offense (Paul Pogba’s ankle injury kept him out for many games, forcing Andreas Pereira to play at No. 10), and he has spent the last four and a half years trying to invigorate a flagging assault.
Do you need someone to move the ball forward from midfield? Give Fernandes the item. Do you want someone to enter the penalty area late and try to score? Consult Fernandes. Do you need to play a through ball to one of your wings? Fernandes is capable of handling that. Do you need someone to be in charge of the forward press? Fernandes is prepared to take on the responsibility. Have you got a kick in the corner? Fernandes appears now. Have you scored a point? Give it to Fernandes. Is a punishment necessary? When Fernandes goes down, observe his position in reference to the referee. And so forth.
Only David De Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo have won more Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards than Fernandes, who won it three times during his stint at United in 2023–2024. Without a doubt, Fernandes is the best signing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. He has drawn similarities to club legend Bryan Robson because of his capacity to get a lot out of little and lead an unreliable team.
The 29-year-old’s antics and carefree style of play can occasionally irritate, but the team’s 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace on the road last season served as a sobering reminder of what happens when he is not on the field. Although people admire his in-possession abilities, Fernandes’ tenacity and fortitude have made him a talisman. Few players in the Premier League are as skilled at creating and scoring goals as he is, and even fewer are willing to run as hard as he does without getting hurt.
Fernandes playing in the Community Shield against Manchester City (David Rogers/Getty Images)
It makes sense for United to want to extend his contract. He does not rely on strength or speed in his game, so there is no reason to fear that he will not deteriorate quickly.
The Community Shield was lost by Erik ten Hag’s team against Manchester City due to penalties; however, the United captain was more energetic when he assisted Mason Mount, Amad, Alejandro Garnacho, and other players. Fernandes’s creativity increases with the number of players that can pass and receive the ball between the lines with ease.
The addition of Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs De Ligt will improve the squad’s technical capabilities and lessen the load on the club captain. Fernandes may concentrate even more on his strongest suit if United can find another adept passer for central midfield. Fernandes is hoping that he will not have to give up any of his strengths this season in order to support the squad.
Fernandes can help United contend for more significant honors in football if he can cut down on the amount of time he spends drifting wide to the right to deliver crosses or dropping deep to collect the ball from center-backs (where he is less comfortable receiving the ball under pressure). Who knows what can be accomplished if INEOS’s new footballing system can match the player’s ambition?
On September 8, Fernandes will be thirty. Given that Fernandes has nearly 600 senior games under his belt for both the club and his country, it is risky to offer one of the club’s higher salary packages to such an accomplished player. However, a payment structure that places Fernandes near the top benefits everyone. It is possible to claim that in future contract negotiations, players will have to equal Fernandes’ output in order to receive the same salary. The desire by United to reward him for his motivation and commitment to the team may thus be interpreted as the basis for a new contract.
If the new agreement clarifies United’s short- to medium-term prospects, it should also mark the start of the midfield team’s long-term plan. By the time the 2026–27 season ends, the playmaker will be 32 years old. Kobbie Mainoo turns 22 this year. In one month, Alejandro Garnacho will turn 23. Joshua Zirkzee, 26, Leny Yoro, 21, and 24 year old Rasmus Hojlund round out a younger group of players that can be enhanced by a creative player who does not always have to play as the No. 10 to maximize their abilities.
For now, Fernandes’ new contract should satisfy the player, the team, and the supporters. His action-hero, gung-ho playing style managed to flourish throughout a few troubled years at Manchester United. However, they will need to depend on him less and less as the team strives to become a more efficient footballing environment. He might even retire at United under a new deal and go on to become a contemporary club legend, but uncertain succession planning has benefits for INEOS as well.
(Top photo: David Rogers via Getty Images)
