WHERE would Manchester United be without Bruno Fernandes? It’s a question that has been asked a lot this season, and the answer can be found in the Premier League table. Without Fernandes’ eight goals and nine assists in the league, United would be even closer to the bottom, as difficult as that is to imagine.

Without Fernandes, Ruben Amorim’s team wouldn’t have made it to the Europa League final. Indeed, the Portuguese midfielder scored in the quarter-final against Lyon and twice in the semi-final against Athletic Club. The 30-year-old is Manchester United’s one and only reliable elite-level performer – and they should consider selling him.

Recent reports claim Al-Hilal are lining up a summer offer for Fernandes, with the Saudi Pro League club reportedly willing to spend as much as £115m on the Portuguese midfielder. Fernandes has been targeted by Saudi clubs before, but there is now more reason for the Old Trafford outfit to sell.

It might seem counterintuitive to suggest selling Fernandes when he has been United’s best player for so long, but it’s too late for him to experience genuine success at Old Trafford. Manchester United are at such a low ebb it will take them years to get back to the top of English football, by which time Fernandes will be well into the twilight of his career.

Keeping Fernandes might push Manchester United a few places higher in the Premier League table next season, but if they have genuine ambitions of winning titles and trophies again, they must start building for multiple seasons ahead. This is where it would be useful to have £115m from the sale of Fernandes to reinvest.

Manchester United need a new centre forward. They require a whole new midfield unit. There are doubts over the ability of the current players in the squad to play as wingbacks, as Amorim’s system demands. Andre Onana’s recent mistakes have also highlighted the need for a new goalkeeper. 

All this must be sourced with the pressure of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) being felt. Manchester United had to sell Scott McTominay last summer despite Erik ten Hag’s desire to keep him because his transfer could be recorded as pure profit. Further tough decisions on the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo might be required this summer.

“We want to keep the best players – and Bruno is clearly one of the top players in the world. “We want Bruno here,” said Amorim when asked about the speculation around Fernandes. “It is easy to understand [his importance] – not just because of the numbers, but the way he plays and the importance he has during his five years here. It’s normal a lot of clubs want a player like Bruno. He is a leader and he’s the captain, so he’s really important. He is a top player; we need top players.”

It’s understandable that Amorim wants to keep his best player, but he should look at how Liverpool used the sale of Philippe Coutinho to reach higher levels back in 2018. Flush with a record transfer fee from Barcelona, the Anfield club signed the players they really needed (Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker) to make progress. They never looked back.

Fernandes could be United’s Coutinho, as unfair as that would be to a player who has given the best years of his career to a club that has been a circus in recent times. Fernandes deserves better, but Manchester United must be ruthless in rebuilding their squad. Squeezing Al-Hilal for everything they have would accelerate the process. 

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