Five players Man Utd might look at to replace Bruno Fernandes after Michael Carrick talks
Before Manchester United’s trip to Chelsea on Saturday, Bruno Fernandes and manager Michael Carrick apparently had a chat to clear the air. But Bruno’s recent outburst has made people wonder if he’ll stay at Old Trafford.
Fernandes didn’t play in United’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on Sunday. This came after reports said he criticized Carrick’s tactics in an interview after their big Champions League loss to Como.
Though it seems Bruno is back in the team, and United can extend his contract until June 2028, some reports say the club might try to sell their captain. If that happens, here are five players who could take his place.
Manchester United showed interest in Alex Scott last summer, along with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Tottenham. At the time, Bournemouth said Scott wasn’t for sale. But now, Sky Sports reports that Bournemouth might be open to offers.
Scott’s contract ends in about 18 months, so Bournemouth knows his value could drop as the deadline gets closer. They’re said to want over £80 million for the England international, who was nicknamed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ as a teen and was called “unbelievable” by Pep Guardiola in 2023.
Scott is great at carrying the ball and smart off it, making the sixth-most supporting runs of any Premier League player last season. He’s also sharp in challenges, with creativity and grit that could help replace Fernandes’ role.
Another option is Angelo Stiller, who doesn’t have Scott’s Premier League experience but is expected to move to a top European club someday. He plays a different style than Fernandes—more deep-lying and composed. Last season, no Stuttgart player had more touches per 90 minutes than him.
The 25-year-old left-footer is calm with the ball and can pick clever passes between defenders. United have been linked to him for two summers now. Stuttgart would need at least €50 million (£41 million) to let him go, according to Sport Bild.
United also saw Nico Paz in action last Tuesday when he scored early for Como against them. The 22-year-old playmaker likes to find space and either take on defenders, make sharp passes, or shoot. Apart from his skill, Paz works hard, shown by his intense pressing that led to one of his goals.
However, his future at Como is tricky. A contract clause, reported by the Athletic, lets Real Madrid buy him for just €10 million in 2027. United would have to pay much more, with Transfermarkt valuing him at around €80 million.
Morgan Gibbs-White has been one of the Premier League’s best attackers this year, having his best season last term with 15 goals and four assists. His efforts helped Nottingham Forest stay in the Premier League and reach the Europa League semi-finals.
Gibbs-White is flexible on the field, able to play on the left, behind a striker, or deeper in midfield. He also works hard without the ball. Like Fernandes, he takes risks creatively, which sometimes pays off and leads to great moments.
If United pursues Gibbs-White, they’ll need to talk to Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, who convinced the player to sign a new deal after Spurs met his £60 million release clause in 2025.
Lastly, there’s Eberechi Eze, whose place at Arsenal might become less certain after new signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, plus Martin Odegaard’s return and the rise of Max Dowman.
Eze has shown flashes of brilliance since joining Arsenal from Crystal Palace a year ago, including a hat-trick against Tottenham. But he hasn’t secured a regular starting spot.
There’s no doubt Eze is talented—he’s one of the Premier League’s most skillful dribblers and tends to shine in big games, like scoring the winner for Palace in the 2025 FA Cup final against Manchester City.
However, he can also disappear in matches, like in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest where he was taken off at half-time after only nine passes and 22 touches.
Signing Eze would come with risks but could turn out to be a smart bargain.
For more, check out: Michael Carrick’s honest response about dropping Bruno Fernandes.