Manchester United faces a potential loss of £85 million and aims to keep Bruno Fernandes for another year to aid the new manager’s transition! Both sides will decide his future before the World Cup.

Manchester United intends to negotiate with captain Bruno Fernandes about his future at Old Trafford before the World Cup. The 31-year-old Portuguese star’s contract expires in summer 2027, with the club retaining a one-year priority renewal option.

Fernandes publicly stated this season that he almost transferred to the Saudi Professional League last summer and was disappointed by United’s willingness to sell him. At that time, the future of the Portuguese midfielder was uncertain, with rumors suggesting he might leave after the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Not only Saudi clubs Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al-Ittihad have shown interest, but Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have also been linked to Fernandes. However, ESPN reports that Manchester United hopes to keep Fernandes for another year to help the team through a transition, especially as a new head coach might arrive in the summer and will need a locker room leader to establish authority.

Fernandes has said his ideal scenario is to decide his future after the World Cup, but Manchester United may want to know the outcome sooner to plan accordingly. The summer World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

If the decision is delayed until after the tournament, there will be less than a month before the new Premier League season starts. It would be manageable if Fernandes chooses to stay, but if he opts to transfer, finding a replacement won’t be easy. Therefore, the club hopes to meet with Fernandes and his agent before the World Cup.

According to ESPN’s Rob Dawson, Manchester United executives are prepared to tell Fernandes that while he has the right to decide his next step, the club hopes he stays at Old Trafford for at least one more year. His contract includes a €65 million release clause, which can only be activated by clubs outside the Premier League.

Since joining Manchester United in 2020, Fernandes has created 600 chances in the Premier League. Although his style sometimes sparks debate, his creativity is not easy to replace for the Red Devils, especially in counterattack situations. In the 2-0 win over Manchester City, Fernandes created four major scoring opportunities, the highest number by any Premier League player against Guardiola’s team, and provided one assist.

Most of Manchester United’s summer budget is already earmarked to strengthen the defensive midfield position. Targets include Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest, Adam Walton from Crystal Palace, and Carlos Baleba from Brighton, each potentially costing close to £100 million. If Fernandes also departs, the team will need to find a replacement, which won’t come cheap.

Due to recent poor performances, Manchester United’s revenue has been impacted. Although commercial income has increased by £40 million, the club has dropped to eighth place in the overall football revenue rankings, marking a historic low. Deloitte’s financial report shows United trailing Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal in Premier League earnings, placing fourth.

United’s combined income from ticket sales, broadcasting, and commercial deals has actually risen from £653 million in the 2023/24 season to £692 million last season. Unfortunately, finishing 15th in the Premier League caused a £45 million drop in broadcasting revenue, and the income from reaching the Europa League final could not compensate for the loss from missing the Champions League.

Moreover, with Premier League and other European giants’ revenues growing rapidly, Manchester United, who had topped the earnings list 10 times, has slipped down, missing the top five in Deloitte’s rankings for the first time in 29 years. This season, United failed to qualify for the Champions League and exited both domestic cups in the first round. With only 20 home games this season, revenue may fall by as much as £85 million!

Therefore, Manchester United hopes head coach Carrick can lead the team back to the Champions League and plans to retain Fernandes to gain time and funds for a gradual rebuild.