- 15 hours ago
Man Utd warned that Fernandes’ head may be turned by Barcelona or Real Madrid
Martin Macdonald
- Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
- 3 min read
Man Utd have been warned by former striker Andy Cole that Bruno Fernandes could be tempted away by the likes of Barcelona or Real Madrid if the Red Devils don’t improve to match his standards.
Fernandes has been a revelation since signing for Man Utd nearly a year ago now, transferring from Sporting CP in January of 2020.
He would go on to score eight goals and assist a further seven in 14 starts in the Premier League in his first six months at United, while he has been excellent in 2020/21, too, scoring seven and assisting four so far.
| Statistic | 2019/20 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | 14 | 10 |
| Goals | 8 | 7 |
| Assists | 7 | 4 |
| Shots P90 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| Final Third Passes P90 | 30.6 | 30.0 |
| Dribbles P90 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| Crosses P90 | 5.7 | 5.9 |
His performances were key in United qualifying for the Champions League last season, but the team hasn’t been able to match is quality in the new campaign.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have already been knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage, while they are languishing in ninth in the Premier League table, albeit with a game in hand over some of the teams around them.
Cole is worried that, if the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid make their interest known in the Portuguese star, his head could be turned.
“The concern for Manchester United is that Bruno Fernandes has well and truly put himself on the map now,” Cole said on The Target Men podcast.
“It’s probably only a matter of time until there are rumours of a Barcelona and Real Madrid being interested in signing him and if Manchester United continue to not perform in the Champions League, no-one knows if his head could be turned in the years ahead.”
Bruno Fernandes: Snapshot
The former Man Utd and Newcastle striker also praised Fernandes for how quickly he has established himself in the Premier League.
“I’m very surprised to see how quickly Bruno Fernandes has taken to the Premier League since he joined Manchester United,” he admitted.
“Bruno Fernandes joined the club for a big fee and I have to say I didn’t know too much about him.
“I wondered if he was going to be able to continue scoring goals and producing assists at the same rate this season now that clubs knew more about him, but he’s arguably been even better!
“Bruno Fernandes doesn’t wear the captain’s armband but anyone watching this Manchester United team can see that he is the leader of the dressing room and he leads by example on the pitch. He’s a world-class quality player.”
Man Utd take on struggling Sheffield United in the Premier League on Thursday evening.
