Manchester United appear to be doing everything they can to keep Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford this summer, despite looking like they wanted to sell him last year.
Last summer, Manchester United club captain Bruno Fernandes looked set for a £100 million move to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Hilal looking the most likely destination. United "wanted me to leave," said Fernandes in an interview after the transfer window had closed. And that appeared to be the truth.
However, in the present day, it seems United now understand how important Fernandes is to the club, and how difficult it would be to replace him even with the £100 million they nearly received in 2025.
If United sells Bruno Fernandes this summer, they will only receive £57 million due to a release clause in his contract, but that fee is only available to clubs outside of England and the Premier League.
Fernandes looks likely to decide on his future after the World Cup this summer, but the Red Devils will not want to wait that long if they believe losing him will be a real possibility.
United's plan to keep Bruno Fernandes
Keeping Fernandes at Old Trafford will be crucial for the success of next season, especially if Manchester United are to be playing in the Champions League again, for the first time since under Erik ten Hag.
The Manchester Evening News have now reported that United believe if they show Fernandes that the club is heading in the right direction, it will be able to convince him to remain in Manchester.
The United captain is reportedly desperate to play in the Champions League, with just 19 appearances to his name in the competition in a red United shirt.
Unlike in 2025, Fernandes is aware of United's preference to keep him at the club, so it will be down to him to decide whether to stay or go.
The future of current head coach Michael Carrick could have an impact on Fernandes' call. Fernandes has three goals and eight assists to his name in only 10 games under Carrick.
Luis Enrique tried to sign Fernandes
Luis Enrique is one of the many top managers linked with an Old Trafford switch this summer, although recent reports suggests he could be close to signing a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
Back in 2024, though, Enrique's PSG tried to sign Bruno Fernandes, as per MEN, so having the captain at the club could play a key factor in Enrique's decision to join or stay clear of Manchester United.
Perhaps Fernandes would also prefer to stay if Enrique joined - knowing he had a manager who believed in him, but Carrick has also made it clear he is a fan of Fernandes.
"In terms of the club and moving forward, it's difficult for me to get involved in too much of that," said Carrick after the 3-1 win against Aston Villa when asked about the club's transfer business this summer.
"Bruno's definitely not someone we'd want to lose, I can say that, but the summer and beyond that, it's difficult for me to kind of go too far with that, but certainly, he's important for us and he's definitely not one we would want to lose."