Man Utd can bin Bruno by signing £100m star who’s “a bit of Keane & Scholes”
Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United’s get out of jail free card.
How often, with the Red Devils seeking a moment of inspiration, a moment of magic, does the Portuguese genius pull a rabbit out of the hat, having come to the aid of a succession of managers in his almost six-year stay at Old Trafford.
As captain, the 31-year-old has managed to keep this sinking ship afloat in recent seasons, notably ending 2024/25 with 38 goals and assists in all competitions, having looked a man possessed under compatriot Ruben Amorim.
Even in a deep-lying role this time around under the ex-Sporting CP, Fernandes is still at the centre of everything good about this current United side – but for how much longer?
What Bruno Fernandes said about his Man Utd future
The United skipper produced one of his finest moments of the campaign in the 4-4 thriller with Bournemouth last week, rifling home a free-kick to drag the hosts back level in that topsy-turvy contest at the Theatre of Dreams.
Even while ultimately left to settle for a point, there was an air of positivity in the aftermath of that game, with Amorim appearing to have finally taken the handbrake off following a subtle switch to a 4-3-3 set-up.
As is the way in the modern Manchester United era, however, the balloon was burst somewhat soon after, with comments from Fernandes’ prior interview with Canal11 filtering through.
Having previously spoken openly about coming close to joining Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer, ahead of his 300th United appearance, the midfielder was far more explosive with his latest comments, accusing the club of wanting him to sell him, but lacking the “courage” to do so.
The £300k-per-week playmaker – who also hinted at having received offers to leave in 2024 – then flirted with the idea of winning titles in Spain, alongside revealing a possible desire to return to Italy, having previously played in Serie A with Udinese.
With just 18 months left on his contract, Fernandes’ future will be a major talking point now heading into 2026. If he does depart, a suitable replacement needs to be found.
Man Utd could turn to the new 'Keane & Scholes' to replace Fernandes
Even without the uncertainty over Fernandes, the midfield unit has been a real priority for INEOS regardless, with the club having been linked with a move for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba over the summer.
The suggestion is that the Seagulls star remains a target heading into the new year, although he has since been joined by England and Nottingham Forest sensation, Elliot Anderson, with the ex-Newcastle United man now attracting notable interest.
Valued at potentially somewhere in the region of £100m, the 22-year-old wouldn’t come cheap, although he could represent the perfect, long-term successor to Fernandes in that deeper midfield role.
His quality has been on show in the early months of this season, in particular, with Anderson appearing to nail down a starting role alongside Declan Rice at international level, ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
This is no safe and steady Jordan Henderson or Conor Gallagher style partner for Rice, however, with the Geordie superstar looking like a player of all-round brilliance, both in and out of possession.
Indeed, in the Premier League this season, the one-time Bristol Rovers loanee ranks in the top 4% of midfielders for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, highlighting how he can both pick out a pass, while also gliding his way up the pitch at will.
There is steel to match the silk, however, with the £100m man also ranking in the top 18% for tackles and the top 7% for blocks made, with those traits having been on the show as he dazzled in the 2-2 draw with United at the City Ground not too long ago.
Anderson vs Man Utd (01/11/25)
Stat
Record
Minutes
90
Touches
84
Pass accuracy
75%
Key passes
3
Possession lost
25
Dribbles
2/2
Tackles won
1/1
Recoveries
14
Total duels won
7/14
Stats via Sofascore
Comparisons to figures of the past might be cheap and unhelpful, but glowing reports are now flooding in regarding the discarded Newcastle man, with talkSPORT’s Max Scott even going as far as to suggest that he is “a bit of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane all rolled into one”.
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Whether he has the real match-winning, game-changing quality is another matter, although with United now boasting an array of forwards who have somewhat lifted the burden on Fernandes, there is no expectation for Anderson to directly fill the shoes of the Portuguese talisman.
Instead, the fleet-footed Englishman could provide greater balance and control in Amorim’s midfield department, with there only so long that the club can go on relying on agent of chaos, Fernandes, to bail them out of trouble.
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