5 Players Man Utd Must Sign to Replace Bruno Fernandes - Ranked

· GiveMeSport

Bruno Fernandes' time at Man Utd is going to end sooner or later, and the club must be prepared to replace him.

Manchester United have just finished rebuilding their midfield for the future, spending around £150m on deals to bring in Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba to go alongside Kobbie Mainoo.

The Red Devils have started the season poorly, however, with just two wins from their opening five games in all competitions, and a defeat to 10-man Man City in the Manchester derby on Sunday has left many feeling that a potential title challenge is once again going to be out of reach in this campaign.

The club hasn't won the league title since 2013, the year Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and with Bruno Fernandes entering the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, there is a genuine feeling that he may leave without having ever lifted the Premier League trophy.

United and Fernandes are understood to be in discussions over a new contract to extend his deal beyond 2027, with the club already holding the option to trigger a clause for an extra 12 months anyway. But with reports that talks are currently at an impasse , there is a possibility that he could leave next summer if the right offer emerges.

So who could replace him? GIVEMESPORT has taken a look at the five names who are best placed as options, and ranked them...

Considering Man Utd just spent big to bolster their midfield options, a move for a deep-lying playmaker like Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton seems highly unlikely.

But it's widely accepted that this will be his final season with the Eagles, and if Man Utd aren't keen to try and find a direct replacement for their talisman, then they could bring in Wharton to help transition to a different style of play.

His arrival would ensure total control in midfield, while also freeing up Kobbie Mainoo to play in a more advanced role. The team would then need to find the goals and assists that they would lose in Bruno, but this would be a hugely popular signing at Old Trafford.

Fernandes is always at his best when playing as a number ten, with freedom to try and create chances regularly. A more traditional number ten from the new generation coming through in Europe is Nico Paz, who has emerged as a superstar while playing for Como in recent seasons.

The Argentina international has notched 20 goals and 20 assists for the Serie A side in 80 appearances, and at 22-years-old there is only room for him to continue to get even better.

Any deal would be expensive, with Como having paid €60m (£51.3m) to sign him permanently from Real Madrid this past summer. But the La Liga giants retain a buy-back option worth €80m (£68m) for the next summer transfer window. If United decide they want him, they'd likely need to top that fee to bring him in, but they would be signing one of the top attacking talents on the continent.

One of the breakout stars of Spanish football in recent seasons has been Barcelona sensation Fermin Lopez, and the more he plays for them the more it's clear that he would be a top replacement for Bruno Fernandes.

Lopez, 23, has registered 36 goals and 30 assists in 142 appearances for the Catalan club, including 12 goals and 14 assists in 46 appearances last season under Hansi Flick. His ability to beat a man on the ball, and his quality in possession, mixed with his incredible goal threat and assist numbers means that he would slot straight in perfectly.

United have been linked with a move for him in the past , but convincing him to leave his boyhood club would likely be the biggest hurdle to any deal.

INEOS have shown a preference for Premier League-proven signings since they took over club dealings in recent transfer windows, and that could rear it's head again when they are tasked with replacing the Portuguese magnifico.

There aren't many proven number tens in England's top flight who would be attainable, but one that they should absolutely be considering is Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, if that is the route they wish to go down.

The England international managed 18 goals and 7 assists in all competitions for Forest last season, and has started this year well too under Oliver Glasner as a number ten. At 26 years old, he is entering the prime years of his career, and he could be the perfect addition to a squad that is supposedly being built to compete on all fronts.

The obvious choice, and the likely number one target at Old Trafford, should be, and likely will be, Cole Palmer.

The Chelsea star burst onto the scene after joining the Blues from Man City in 2023, and has gone on to register a stunning 58 goals and 34 assists for the club in 137 appearances in all competitions. He has led them to winning the Club World Cup and Conference League, while also reaching the FA Cup final, and scoring in the Euro 2024 final for England against Spain.

Behind Fernandes, it's fair to say that Palmer is probably the best No.10 in the Premier League, and his ability to win games on his own makes him an ideal option.

United were heavily linked with a move to sign him this past summer, and Palmer was reportedly open to joining . That could be revisited next summer.

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