There was never a dull moment for Manchester United after Bruno Fernandes threw in the proverbial grenade after Monday’s thrilling 4-4 win over Bournemouth.
The Portuguese prodigy responded with wild celebrations after taking a pinpoint free-kick to level the score at 3-3 that night, but the question was who he was firing it at.
Now, following the publication of an interview reportedly conducted a few weeks ago, in which the 31-year-old claimed that he felt some in the Old Trafford hierarchy had intended to sell him over the summer but lacked the “courage” to do so, he may now have his answer.
The United captain, who previously openly talked about turning down a move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, also flirted with the prospect of securing a move after opening up the possibility of playing the rest of his career in Italy or Spain.
“Man United wanted me to leave last summer. That’s what’s on my mind.” “I told the managers this, but I don’t think they had the courage to make that decision,” Fernandes told Canal11.
With 18 months left on his current contract with Manchester, Fernandes has ensured his future will remain a topic of conversation until at least next summer, with plans needed to be made in case the midfielder is left to pasture new.
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The timing of this shocking interview is interesting, as Fernandes appears to have finally settled into Ruben Amorim’s midfield duo, having scored seven goals and provided an assist in his last four Premier League games.
In fact, only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has surpassed the former Sporting CP star’s tally of 12 goal involvements so far in the 2025/26 season, and the United talisman remains highly influential in this deeply rooted role.
Fernandes, who took over as captain in the summer of 2023 after Harry Maguire was stripped of his responsibilities by Erik ten Hag, has been at the heart of everything good at the club for more than five years, particularly finishing last season with 38 goals and assists in all competitions.
But if the end is in sight, Amorim and INEOS will need to replace not only a majestic midfielder, but also an important mentor – the current top-flight captain in Marc Gehi.
According to TEAMtalk, United are one of a number of clubs in talks with the Crystal Palace star’s agent, with the Red Devils informing the Englishman’s agent that they are willing to offer him terms ahead of 2026.
Any suitor could swoop in to sign a knockdown deal in January, but hopes remain that the 25-year-old will leave Selhurst Park for free when his contract expires in June, with reports outlining how his inner circle view him as potentially “one of the most wanted free agents of all time”.
How happy United would be to poach the former Chelsea man instead, having come so close to joining Liverpool before the deadline earlier this year.
Why Guehi could be the perfect player for Manchester United
Much of the attention for the new signing has been on the midfield unit and wing-back role, with the search for the latter leading to United’s strong interest in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.
As reported this week, the Ghanaian is thought to be open to a move following Monday night’s impressive strike, with a release clause coming into effect from January 1, making the Cherries talisman available for £65m.
While a lack of wide and central depth remains a key issue, United’s recent games have also exposed how even their defensive line seems to wear down relatively quickly, forcing Amorim to bring in something of a makeshift lineup that includes a pair of teenagers, Lenny Yolo and Aiden Heaven, alongside Luke Shaw.
Perhaps predictably, that new look set-up looked creaky and chaotic, with Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt being absent and being left open too easily that night.
With Maguire himself out of contract this summer and Lisandro Martinez just returning from an ACL problem, further centre-back reinforcements may be exactly what is needed.
Indeed, it would not be surprising if Guehi quickly takes up a leading role in Amorim’s side, potentially even replicating the armband his compatriot Maguire wore shortly after starting his Old Trafford career, replacing Ashley Young as captain in January 2020 after just six months at the club.
Guehi, the man who led Palace to FA Cup glory last season by defeating Manchester City in the showpiece game at Wembley, has rightly been praised for his standout performances in recent years and has been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as a “beast” of a defender.
Guehi vs De Ligt – 25/26 PL Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (*per game) | Guehi | de lift |
game | 15 | 13 |
begins | 15 | 13 |
Goal (assist) | 2(2) | 1 (0) |
Pass accuracy* | 86% | 88% |
Key pass* | 0.9 | 0.2 |
Tackles and interceptions* | 2.9 | 2.7 |
Win a ground duel* | 62% | 65% |
Win an air battle* | 71% | 62% |
clean sheet | 6 | 1 |
Statistics by Sofascore | ||
The Three Lions star, who has 26 caps and is now a regular at international level, has previously captained the Under-21 team and was praised by former caretaker manager Lee Carsley for his “leadership qualities”.
With the likes of Maguire and Casemiro out of contract, Martinez suffering a number of injuries and the aforementioned De Ligt not even part of Amorim’s current leadership team, it would be no surprise to see Gehi take over the captaincy if United can win the race for him.
A man who ranks in the top 6% of Premier League centre-backs for progressive carries according to FBref and in the top 8% for progressive passes per 90, Guehi is the perfect modern defender but also has that old-school defensive flair, winning 71% of his aerial duels this season according to Sofascore.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the completed pass into the opponent’s goal or into the penalty area.
So whether Fernandes leaves next summer or later, Guehi would be more than worthy of taking over as captain at Old Trafford.
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