BRUNO FERNANDES has stunned Manchester United by hinting that he could quit Old Trafford this summer.
The Red Devils captain says he needs to feel ‘wanted’ by United after a disappointing season.
Fernandes, 29, is in his fifth season with the club after joining from Sporting Lisbon.
The Portuguese international has been the most successful buy in the period since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
But in a shock interview with DAZN Portugal it was clear that his heart is no longer fully in the club and he could walk away after the Euros.
Fernandes said: “Obviously, it doesn’t just depend on me, does it?
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“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.
‘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.”
Fernandes joined United in January 2020 in a transfer costing an initial £47million rising to £68million.
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He has a contract until 2025-26 with the option on the club’s part to extend that by a further season.
He agreed to a new deal extending his stay at the United back in April 2022 but only after assurances from then Director of Football John Murtough that the club was going in the right direction.
Pundits verdict on Ten Hag’s future
Where do the pundits stand on Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United future
Jamie Carragher – Sacked
“I don’t see how Erik ten Hag stays. It’s just performance after performance.”
Gary Neville – Stay if he wins the FA Cup
“To sack a manager who’s won two trophies in his first two seasons at the club I think would be extreme.”
Louis Saha – On the fence
“I don’t see it as clearly but they need changes from the players but they need changes from him as well.”
Alan Shearer – Sacked
“I believe the future of the Man Utd manager is already determined. Even if they win the FA Cup I think he’s gone.”
Murtough has now left and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in charge of footballer operations at the club after acquiring 27.7 per cent of the club.
Fernandes has been a hit in his time at United despite only lifting one trophy with the Carabao Cup last season.
This season alone he has contributed 15 goals in 45 appearances and assisted a further 11.
In all in the Premier League the attacking midfielder has 54 goals and 40 assists in his time with United.
While the club has suffered a catalogue of injuries this season Fernandes is barely ever in the treatment room.
A player always has to want to be here, but at the same time, you have to want him to stay.
Bruno Fernandes
He was given the captaincy last summer after it was taken off Harry Maguire, who looked to be on his way to West Ham after falling out of favour with manager Erik ten Hag.
His departure would be a huge disappointment to the fans on the back of a poor season that has seen United fail to reach the top four.
They also went out of the Champions League at the group stage and relinquished their hold on the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 home defeat to Newcastle, the side they beat in last years final, back in November.
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Their only remaining hope of salvaging something from the season comes with the FA Cup.
They meet Manchester City in a repeat of last season’s final, which they lost 2-1, on May 25th at Wembley.
Man Utd are ‘dynamic and entertaining’… but not in a good way, says Dave Kidd
By Dave Kidd
MUCH guffawing when Erik ten Hag proclaimed his Manchester United side as “one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams” in the Premier League after a 1-1 home draw with Burnley.
But I agree with him.
This season I’ve watched live as United beat Liverpool and Wolves 4-3, drew 3-3 with Coventry and Galatasaray and lost 4-3 at Bayern Munich and Copenhagen.
I also watched on telly as they were beaten 4-3 at Chelsea.
As a neutral, I can’t remember seeing any team involved in quite so many mental matches during the course of one season.
The problem is Ten Hag isn’t there to produce chaotic entertainment for the likes of me, he’s there to make Manchester United successful and make their fans happy — which is an entirely different metric.
Read Dave Kidd’s full column here
Or click here to check out all of Dave Kidd’s articles.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
