Manchester United must decide on the future of their manager Erik ten Hag before delving into the forthcoming summer transfer window.
After a quiet January window for many, you just wonder if the same will follow suit this summer or, as per, hell will break loose in the market.
Manchester United are going to be one of the main teams in the spotlight, but no one is the wiser when it comes to Erik ten Hag’s future.
The Dutchman ended the season by causing an upset and beating the all-dominant Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
It slightly papers over the cracks of the Premier League campaign, which saw Manchester United finish eighth and record their lowest-ever finish in over three decades.
Everyone knows about who will depart the club. Anthony Martial, who signed in 2015 and failed to live up to expectations, announced that he will leave when his contract expires next month and so will Raphael Varane.
In truth, those were expected and not many are surprised that the French duo have headed for the exit door.
But could a potential surprise name follow suit? Bruno Fernandes has two years left on his current Manchester United deal – and there seems to be transfer talk involving Bayern Munich.
When Shaka Hislop heard of that transfer rumour, he made it clear that he ‘just doesn’t get it’, as he told ESPN.
The former Premier League goalkeeper can’t see Fernandes joining Vincent Kompany’s side, but did highlight that the club have a big decision to make on the 29-year-old, especially when profit and sustainability rules come into the picture.
Bruno Fernandes and Bayern Munich transfer rumour
“Bruno Fernandes and the Bayern Munich thing, I just don’t get it,” said Hislop. “It just doesn’t fit, for me. From a Bruno Fernandes perspective, he is the star of the show at Old Trafford. He is the kingpin up in the red part of Manchester. He wants to see things built around him.
“From a Manchester United perspective, and we have made a lot about their financial issues, yes a Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming in, maybe inject some cash, but how does that play out with the profit and sustainability regulations? If he is a sellable asset, and there is genuine interest, again I am not 100% certain there is genuine interest from Bayern Munich, then Manchester United might be tempted.
“The aspect to that profit and sustainability is that, with two years left on his contract, he all of a sudden, the longer we go into that, the more the power rests with Bruno Fernandes and his camp, in terms of negotiating. Again, you are already trying to balance the books, increasing the salary of one of your highest-paid players, I am not sure leans into that, either. It’s a little bit of a dangerous game that Bruno Fernandes maybe finds himself in and sees this as taking some control of it.”
Should Manchester United sell Bruno Fernandes?
Ever since the new minority regime entered the Old Trafford building, led by Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, it has seen a sea-change at the top of the house.
If ten Hag is also booted out, then fans will naturally think that the players will also follow suit because many of them have been part of different managers, without any real success.
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Yes, Fernandes is Manchester United’s best player and their club captain. But selling him could, from the perspective of those in the boardroom, signal how they want a complete change from top to bottom.
The issue you then have is the performance he put in at Wembley and how not many Manchester United players can do that.
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