Bruno Fernandes has decided to leave Man Utd in January after talking things over peacefully with Michael Carrick.
Bruno Fernandes has made up his mind about his future at Manchester United after having an honest chat with Michael Carrick on Tuesday.
Fernandes faced criticism from fans after questioning Carrick’s tactics following their heavy 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League. He didn’t play in their 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on Sunday and got a mixed reaction when warming up during the game.
With his contract running until June 2027 and the club having an option to extend it by another year, there was a lot of talk about whether Fernandes would stay. INEOS, the club’s majority owners, plan to keep him on.
Since joining United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has been a key player. Some thought the recent tension between him and the manager might mean his time at the club was coming to an end.
But after Carrick was confirmed to manage the upcoming game against Chelsea on Saturday, he quickly sat down with Fernandes to sort things out.
The two met before training at United’s Carrington base. According to The Guardian, Fernandes reassured Carrick that he’s fully committed and wants to help turn their season around.
Carrick, who left Fernandes out of the starting lineup against Bournemouth for purely football reasons, told Sky Sports, “Picking the team is always tough. We have to do what’s best to get the performance we want.”
Since their talk, Fernandes has been friendlier with fans at training and is expected to start against Chelsea on Saturday, October 31.
Last season, Fernandes was United’s standout player, breaking the Premier League assist record with 21 and helping the team get back into the Champions League. However, his form has dipped recently, with no goals or assists in his last five league games, except for a hat-trick against Ipswich Town.
Normally, Fernandes leads by example, driving the team forward, but former United winger Ashley Young criticized him for being “selfish” and not showing strong leadership after the loss to Como.
Young said on Overlap Daily, “It’s selfish. You can’t fool former United players or fans. In the Como game, he barely pressed, looked around throwing his hands up just to show the fans. That’s not a United captain or leader. Last season was amazing, 21 assists, but he owes Carrick for putting him in the right position. To be a true leader, you have to be a team player.”
Manchester United will be hoping their top signing of the last decade can bounce back, starting with a better performance against Chelsea this weekend.