Paul Merson has questioned ’s decision to award Bruno Fernandes a new five-year contract and revealed his prediction for the club’s upcoming Premier League clash against .
Fernandes is close to agreeing a new long-term deal at Old Trafford, having made a big impact at the club since his £47m arrival from Sporting Lisbon in 2020.
The Portugal playmaker has scored 35 goals and made 25 assists in 78 Premier League appearances, largely impressing despite the club’s inconsistent form under and .
But Merson insists Fernandes has ‘not set the world alight’ this season and has questioned why United are offering the 27-year-old such a significant new contract when they are yet to appoint a new manager.
Old Trafford chiefs have held initial talks with Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino over the vacant manager’s position but an appointment is not expected to be imminent.
‘Bruno Fernandes’ contract situation is an interesting one and pretty much sums up where Manchester United are as a club at the moment,’ Merson told .
‘I’m not saying he’s a bad player by any stretch of the imagination, but how can they give someone a five-year contract when they haven’t even got a permanent manager?
‘What if a new manager comes in and doesn’t quite fancy Fernandes, because there’s every chance coaches won’t like the way he throws his hands up in frustration or his style of play.
‘He’s a good player and I like him, but he hasn’t set the world alight at Manchester United this season.
‘I just find it a bit strange that they’ve given a massive long-term contract to a player when they haven’t sorted out their managerial dilemma, it’s a big call by the club.’
Manchester United return to action against Leicester on Saturday evening, having lost to Atletico Madrid in their last outing.
The club’s Champions League exit places even more importance on a top-four finish in the Premier League, with United currently four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
Merson expects United to beat Leicester, who have a Europa League Conference quarter-final to prepare for next week, and put ‘major pressure’ on his former club Arsenal.
‘As I’ve said hundreds of times before, you never quite know what you’re going to get with Manchester United,’ the former England star added.
‘Leicester have got a big Europa League game on Thursday and in all honesty, that’s a bigger game for them at this stage of the season than a Premier League clash against the Red Devils, so a handful of players could be rested for this one.
‘I keep on predicting Manchester United to win and I don’t know why, but I think they’ll win this one 2-1 and put major pressure on Arsenal.’
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