Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has no doubts that captain Bruno Fernandes will stay at Old Trafford amid speculation surrounding his Old Trafford future.
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is not concerned about the prospect of Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes leaving Old Trafford.
Despite criticism of his on-field antics and his suitability as the club’s skipper, the Portugal international has been fundamental to Man United ever since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
Fernandes has come up with 79 goals and 64 assists in 230 matches for Man United across all competitions, including 15 goals and 11 assists from 45 outings in the current campaign.
The 29-year-old was promoted to permanent captain last summer after Harry Maguire was stripped of the armband, and he still has two years left to run on his contract, which also includes the option for a further 12 months.
However, Fernandes’s efforts this season have mostly gone unrewarded, as Man United finished bottom of their Champions League group and cannot qualify for next year’s edition as they languish in seventh spot in the Premier League table.
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Ten Hag: ‘Fernandes will definitely stay at Man United’
The Portuguese playmaker could still captain the Red Devils to FA Cup glory as they prepare to face Manchester City in the final for the second year running, but he recently fuelled speculation that he could be on his way out.
Fernandes stressed that he would not decide his future until after Euro 2024, but he left the door open to a possible exit, admitting that he had to “think” about potentially not playing in the Premier League next season.
However, speaking to the press ahead of Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace, Ten Hag said that Fernandes’s quotes had been taken out of context, and he believes that the midfielder is “very happy” at Old Trafford.
Asked if he wanted to keep Fernandes at the club, Ten Hag said: “Absolutely but that [the interview] was also taken out of context. I haven’t even asked [Fernandes about the context] because I know he is Manchester United and I think he is very happy to be here.”
The Man United boss was then asked if he could envisage the 29-year-old at least seeing out the last two years of his Old Trafford contract, to which he simply replied: “Definitely”.
Ten Hag’s own Man United future in doubt
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While Ten Hag has no doubts that Fernandes will still be at the Theatre of Dreams for at least another two seasons, the same cannot be said about his own future, as his contract only runs until 2025.
The Red Devils’ sharp decline this season has naturally led to suggestions that the axe – now wielded by the new regime of Sir Jim Ratcliffe – could soon come down, but he is still committed to Man United, even without the INEOS chief’s public backing.
At this stage, the hierarchy are not thought to have any immediate plans to give Ten Hag the boot, but they have been drawing up an exit strategy to ensure a seamless transition should the situation change.
Amid the uncertainty, Bayern Munich are said to have been in touch with Ten Hag’s representatives to gauge whether he would be interested in moving to Germany, as Thomas Tuchel will step down from his post at the end of the season.
Tuchel is coincidentally thought to be a leading contender for the Man United job should Ten Hag depart, a list which also includes Graham Potter and England head coach Gareth Southgate.