Football: Bruno Fernandes demands a project before extending at Manchester United
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Post, Imvaho Nshya, Leadership and Vanguard
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United captain, has rejected a second contract extension offer from the club. His contract expires at the end of the season and negotiations remain stalled, as the club’s management goes through a period of turbulence.
According to Vanguard, United have an option to extend the Portuguese midfielder’s contract by twelve months, until 2028. The club, however, prefers a long-term agreement and will very likely activate that clause before 1 January if no deal is reached. Beyond that date, only six months of contract would remain, and Fernandes could sign a pre-contract with a foreign club.
Michael Carrick was dismissed on Thursday, after the club’s worst league start to a season in forty years. Management hopes that the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, who currently coaches the US national team and is due to take charge of United, will persuade his captain to commit.
According to Imvaho Nshya, a first proposal had already been rejected in spring 2026, when talks began. BBC journalist Simon Stone believes that Fernandes wants to compete for the biggest trophies and is waiting to see the effect of Pochettino, while the club must weigh the cost of a long contract against its captain’s recent drop in form.
Fernandes was on the verge of joining Tottenham in 2019, then managed by Pochettino, before the transfer fell through. He eventually signed for United six months later, from Sporting. In the previous season, he set the Premier League record for assists, and he has scored six goals in 13 matches this season.
