A worrying Manchester United exit update has emerged regarding one influential player, courtesy of journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Man Utd manager & transfer news
It continues to be a busy, up in the air period at Old Trafford currently, with Erik ten Hag's future as manager still the biggest talking point. United's memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City last month has arguably made Sir Jim Ratcliffe's decision regarding the Dutchman harder, with the fanbase split over whether he should stay on or not.
Other managers continue to be mentioned as successors to Ten Hag, should he be disposed of, and Brentford boss Thomas Frank's name has been thrown into the hat in the past week or so. Talks have also reportedly taken place with Thomas Tuchel over the job, with Ratcliffe rating him highly.
In terms of potential new signings, Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is being viewed as a strong player for United to bring in, especially as he could help get the best out of Marcus Rashford, following an extremely below-par season for the Englishman.
Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has also been linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford, not only filling the void left by the outgoing Raphael Varane, but also capable of filling in at right-back if needs must.
Romano drops shock Man Utd exit news
Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano admitted that Bruno Fernandes' agent has been in contact with Barcelona and Bayern Munich over a possible move this summer.
"There’s been a lot written again about the future of Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, with the Portuguese press claiming that there have been some contacts with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and that approaches could come soon. There will inevitably be a lot written about this, so I wanted to clarify my current understanding of the situation here.
"The reality is that Fernandes’ agent Miguel Pinho has met with some European top clubs last week. Contacts took place, but the player remains focused on Man United and his exit is not something decided at this point. It will also depend on Man United’s new project, what happens with the manager, what they will ‘present’ to Bruno in new meeting. It’s a stand-by moment between Fernandes and Man United, waiting to make final decision with a new contract for the player also being a possibility in case he decides to stay."
There is a strong argument to say that Bruno is United's best player, with the captain an elite footballer who wouldn't look out of place in the best teams in the world currently.
The £240,000-a-week ace's tally of 79 goals and 66 assists in 233 Red Devils appearances outlines how consistent his end product is from his attacking midfield role, and Paul Scholes is a big admirer, saying he "sees everything" on the pitch, which the United legend knows a thing or two about.
Man Utd
233
79
66
Sporting CP
137
63
50
Udinese Calcio
95
11
13
Sampdoria
35
5
3
Novara
23
4
2
Ratcliffe must do all he can to prevent Bruno from leaving this summer, selling his future plans to him and ensuring that he stays put. He should be looked at as the poster boy for what could be an exciting new era at the club, continuing to lead the team and be a match-winner so often.