"He doesn’t believe in the future project" - Pundit urges Manchester United to sell Bruno Fernandes in the summer
Stan Collymore has told Manchester United to let go of Bruno Fernandes this summer. The pundit believes the Portuguese midfielder is not fit to be the club's captain.
Fernandes opened up about his future earlier this week when asked about reports suggesting that Manchester United were planning a huge squad overhaul in the summer.
The 29-year-old said he remains completely focused on the FA Cup and the Euros, insisting that he will not make any decisions on his future until after the tournaments.
Discussing Fernandes' future at Manchester United in an interview with Caught Offside, Collymore said:
"Very good player? Yes! — Captain material? Absolutely not. The fact that he hinted earlier this week that he could be up for a move away tells me that he doesn’t have the stomach for the fight, doesn’t believe in the future project and wants a bit of the easy life — something you just don’t ever get at United."
He added:
"For me, along with Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire and Antony he’ll be a poster boy for the era at United where promise was abundant but excuses and not delivering were the reality."
The pundit concluded:
"Sell and move on!”
Fernandes has been Manchester United's talisman this season amid their struggles under Erik ten Hag. The Portugal international has racked up 15 goals and 11 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions this term.
What Bruno Fernandes said about his Manchester United future
The aforementioned report, which claimed United were open to selling every first-team player except Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund, and Alejandro Garnacho, has resulted in speculation over Fernandes' future.
His existing deal with the Red Devils is set to expire in 2026, although the club does have the option to extend his contract for a year. While Fernandes has been excellent for Manchester United this season, he has refused to provide a concrete answer on his future.
When asked about the reports, Fernandes said (via GOAL):
"I'm not thinking about other things at the moment. Obviously, it doesn't just depend on me, does it? A player always has to want to be here, but at the same time, you have to want him to stay. At the moment, I feel there's that on both sides. I'm not thinking too much about the future, not least because, obviously, this season hasn't been at the level I'd hoped for, either individually or collectively, so far."
He added:
"We could still end the season by winning the [FA] Cup. After that, we have a very important Euros coming up. So, if you want me to be very honest, if I have to think about not continuing in the Premier League, it won't be until after the Euros because nothing will be able to take my focus away from the FA Cup final and the Euros, as there's nothing more important than that at the moment."
Bruno Fernandes has registered 230 appearances so far for Manchester United since his arrival in January 2020 from Sporting CP. He has scored 79 goals and provided 64 assists for the club.