1 day Ago By Kevin Garside
Bruno Fernandes to Real Madrid, though speculative churn from Spain, and summarily dismissed by manager Ruben Amorim, is not the insane idea it might first appear to Manchester United fans.Some facts. The United captain is 30 years old.
He is in his fifth full season at Old Trafford since in his arrival in January 2020. United have won two trophies in that time, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, ranked third and fourth in order of prestige. United are presently 13th in the Premier League and on course for their lowest Premier League finish.
For all his extraordinary talent, for all his indestructability, for all he has given to United – everything – and for all his popularity, Fernandes is only one man. Alone he has not been able to move United forward. Indeed, he is part of a United squad dismissed by Amorim as the worst in history.
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addToArray({"pos": "inread-hb-ros-inews"}); }None of the blame attaches to Fernandes, of course. It is not his fault he has been failed by successive regimes. Indeed, you could make a case for including Fernandes in United’s all-time list of greats, a player for any occasion, big or small, a genuine differentiator who could have played alongside Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, alongside Beckham, Giggs and Scholes, with Keane and Cantona, with Best, Law and Charlton, even the Babes.
Fernandes has never known stability, serving under four full-time managers and two caretakers. He has made do with a potted gallery of loanees and grotesques, fading has-beens like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Odion Ighalo, never has-beens like Wout Weghorst, never-will-bes like Donny van de Beek, stop-gaps like Sergio Reguilon, Sofyan Amrabat and Marcel Sabitzer, and in a category all their own, Antony and Jadon Sancho. #color-context-related-article-3616087 {--inews-color-primary: #8BC419;--inews-color-secondary: #F6FBED;--inews-color-tertiary: #8BC419;} Read Next square FOOTBALL Man Utd ready to sell 10 players to fund Ruben Amorim squad overhaulRead MoreThe lad deserves a special award not only for hanging around, but for playing every game as if it were a Champions League final.
He is by a stretch the only United player for whom any serious rival might consider stumping up proper money, which brings to the point at issue.The suggested sum of £90m would help fund the necessary rebuild required by Amorim and pledged by the Ineos regime. Furthermore, were he to depart for that figure it might be regarded as his greatest contribution to the club, an act of kindness if not sacrifice, to fund the recruitment of younger players of the Amorim profile.
As it is, United are planning a summer sale of up to 10 players, including Antony and Marcus Rashford, currently restoring lost value at Real Betis and Aston Villa respectively. if(window.adverts) { window.
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adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_tablet_l1"}); }In the build-up to the Forest game, Amorim was having none of it. “We are in control of the situation,” he said.
“And I feel that he’s really happy here, especially because he understands what we want to do. “And then I think he’s one more supporter of Manchester United and he really feels it. “Sometimes the frustration that you see, everybody sees and says that maybe it’s not a good thing in a captain.
It’s a sign that he wants this so bad. So this is the kind of player that we want, and he’s not going anywhere because I already told him.”Let’s see how that sentiment fares should a concrete approach emerge in the summer.
Fernandes turns 31 in September. Were United contesting the big pots, Fernandes would be central to their prospects. In a team of lesser talents, his refinements are misplaced.
And from the player’s perspective, Fernandes deserves the chance to flourish amongst equals. His loyalty to United is commendable and the fans love him for it. None would want to see him leave.
Equally, every Stretford Ender would accept he deserves better than the mediocrity with which he is faced. Out of necessity, Fernandes was flogged by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer without complaint. He assumed the captaincy under Erik ten Hag, and is clearly loved by Amorim.
Critics have panned him for his petulance, volatility and hissy fits, characteristics unbecoming and unsuitable they claim for captaincy. But none question his commitment, heart or talent.Since making his debut against Wolves in February 2020, Fernandes has racked up an improbable 277 appearances scoring 95 goals, a ratio of one in three matches.
If he is not scoring, he is assisting, tackling, blocking, encouraging or moaning. Of course Amorim rates him highly. Seemingly, others do too.
And that might not be the worst thing for this damned United..
