Bruno Fernandes has been told by Ruben Amorim he will not be sold this summer – so he can help fire Manchester United to Premier League glory.
But talkSPORT co-hosts Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist believe he will be out the door if Real Madrid come in for the midfielder.
The Red Devils playmaker is rumoured to be on Real Madrid’s radar following a stunning season which has seen him chip in with 16 goals and as many assists.
Fernandes is now just five strikes shy of reaching a century of goals for United since joining from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
Only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah [54] and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland [33] boast more goal contributions than Fernandes from top-flight players this campaign.
And Amorim was quick to shut down any speculation that his skipper could be on the way out when speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday night’s away clash at high-flying Nottingham Forest.
Asked about a report linking the 30-year-old with Los Blancos, he stated: “No. It’s not going to happen.”
Amorim was then pressed on whether the Portugal international may decide for a change in his quest to win major silverware.
To which he said: “That is the challenge. I want Bruno here.
“We want to win the Premier League again, so we want the best players with us. He’s still so young because he plays 55 games every season.
“Between assists and goals, he’s there for 30 at least. He’s the type of player we want here, he’s not going anywhere.”
Commenting on why he is so sure his future lies at Old Trafford, Amorim then remarked: “We are in control of the situation.
“I feel that he’s really happy here. He understands what we want to do. He’s one more supporter of Manchester United, he really feels it.
“Sometimes the frustration that you and everybody sees, and says, ‘It’s not a good thing for the captain’ – it’s a sign that he wants it so bad.
“This is the kind of player we want. He’s not going anywhere – because I already told him.”
But while Amorin is convinced Fernandes will be a United player next term, talkSPORT Breakfast presenters McCoist and Stelling aren’t as confident.
Stelling said: “I like Amorim, I know he listens to the show, but I’m sorry, it won’t be down to Ruben Amorim whether they sell Bruno Fernandes or not.”
McCoist then added: “100 per cent. You’re absolutely spot on. It will be down to one or two other factors.”
Stelling then stated: “They’re talking £90million from Real Madrid, if Real Madrid genuinely came in with a £90m offer, Jim Ratcliffe is shaking his hand and saying, ‘Good luck son.’”
McCoist then remarked: “He’s away. And not only that, there’ll be a knock at the door from Fernandes himself, saying, ‘Excuse me, I’ve got a chance to go to Real Madrid here,’ so they are two massive factors, no doubt about it.
“But it goes without saying, he has been there only shining light this season, a lot of people have questioned him over whether he should be captain.
“I’ll be quite frank with you, some of his – tantrums is far too strong a word – but some of his reactions to things are sometimes I don’t think are sometimes befitting of a captain.
“But I tell you what you cannot argue with, the way he’s performed and led by an example as a captain should, so he would be an absolute savage loss to Manchester United.”
Before adding: “You can actually make an argument that he would be better with a better quality of player around him because, with the greatest respect to United at this moment in time, the players haven’t been performing to the standard they should have.”
Relegation fodder
With United sitting 13th in the Premier League table after 29 games, Stelling has argued the club could have been embroiled in a relegation battle this season without Fernandes.
He said: “Without Bruno Fernandes this season, Manchester United would be battling to stay out of the bottom three.
“But there is no choice, if it’s Manchester United struggling in the Premier League or Real Madrid, there is zero choice.”
McCoist then stated: “If Real Madrid come in for him, what is he going to think?
“I think he deserves to be playing with better players at this moment in time.
“I think Manchester United are a massive club, but they’re just going through a tough time at this moment in time.”
