legend has raised concerns over Bruno Fernandes’ new five-year deal at the club by suggesting the club’s new manager may not want to keep the Portuguese midfielder.
Fernandes has agreed personal terms with the club over a new long-term deal, which will keep him at the club for what should be his peak years.
The Portugal playmaker has been sensational for the club since joining United in a £47million move from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
Fernandes has netted 49 times in 117 matches for the Reds and even though his performances have dipped this term, he’s still scored a respectable nine times in 27 league appearances.
That’s despite the change of manager midway through the season, with Ralf Rangnick replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim boss.
United are set to appoint a new long-term manager this summer but Fernandes will sign his new deal before the appointment is made.
And though Ferdinand says it’s better than losing Fernandes on a free transfer at the end of his deal, he’s worried that the club could end up selling or discarding the playmaker as he doesn’t fit into the new manager’s philosophy.
‘The last two years before this year he’s carried the team on his back,’ said Ferdinand.
‘There’s been nobody more consistent than him, maybe David de Gea at a push. He’s being rewarded. How many players are we seeing leave on a free transfer? Pogba… are we going to allow Bruno to leave on a free transfer?
‘They might sign him on this new contract and then sell him in a year, you never know because the new manager might come in and say he isn’t for me. But at least they’ve got him tied down. He can’t sit there for another couple of years and go ‘oh I’m just going to sit here and wait to go on a free’.
‘That’s where I agree – is there dialogue with the person coming in that we don’t know about that they want Bruno locked down. That could be a funny one. What if the new manager comes in and doesn’t want him? What they will say is we’ve got him tied to a contract and we want top dollar to take him, that’s the difference if he’s on a new contract.
‘I think there will be big clubs in for him. When Bruno is on it he scores goals. There’s been nobody during his time at Man United with more goal involvements.
‘There’s a risk with the way he plays but what I would say is if he’s in a team that is set-up to not allow counter-attacks once he’s in posession of the ball then you’ve got a good problem. I’ll take the times he’s going to give it away because I know he’s going to get one of those in a game on a sixpence for someone like Cristiano.’
Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino are the leading candidates for the job at Old Trafford.
Both managers have been interviewed for the role but United want to continue the process by interviewing other candidates, such as Luis Enrique and Julen Lopetegui.
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