Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have been stunned by a “very special” transfer move at Manchester United this summer.
Manchester United fans are usually waiting for transfer activity to kick in later in the summer but the club have been making early moves this time around.
Matheus Cunha has already been signed while Bryan Mbeumo could follow him soon after the Reds placed their first bid for the Brentford star.
However, perhaps the most significant news of the window so far is that Bruno Fernandes will be staying at Old Trafford after rejecting a bid from Al-Hilal.
The club captain’s exit almost felt inevitable for many fans after the Saudi Pro League club provided a jaw-dropping £700,000-per-week contract for Fernandes.
But it was confirmed by the player on international duty that he rejected the offer and that has impressed many fans and pundits alike, including Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
Lineker and Shearer stunned by United move
Speaking on the Stick To Football podcast, Lineker wanted to bring up Fernandes’ decision and offer praise to the midfielder for making a decision that not so many have made in recent years.
The Saudi Pro League have been able to convince many top level stars, including Ivan Toney, of a move to the Middle East with their extravagant offers.
“Bruno Fernandes has apparently turned down a possible move to Saudi and it looked like a hell of a lot of money, as you might expect, so credit to Bruno,” Lineker said.
“I think he’s the one player that stood out in Manchester United’s season and that’s always a good sign if you’ve got a player still performing when the team’s really struggling.
“I think that’s probably a real boost for Amorim and it’s nice to see a footballer doing that sort of thing and I would imagine that they [United fans] will feel that loyalty, it’s something very special.”
Fernandes scored 19 goals and registered 20 assists last season despite being in an underperforming team. It would have been extremely difficult for the Reds to replace his influence on and off the pitch.
“He was without doubt their best player last year,” Shearer added. “It would have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for him because he came to the rescue so many times.
“I think it is pretty refreshing now he has decided to say no and stay at Manchester United, I think it’s huge for them.”
Fernandes partner needed at United
Next season, Fernandes is expected to operate in the midfield pivot more often after the additions of Cunha and Mbeumo.
This isn’t exactly a problem as he thrived in that position many times under Amorim last season, although, it probably does mean that an upgrade alongside him is required.
Manuel Ugarte has question marks over his ability to play that deeper role while Casemiro is also not the ideal option despite some strong periods of form last term.
Read More: Manchester United ‘preparing second Bryan Mbeumo bid’ as Matheus Cunha arrival date hinted
Getting a younger midfielder who can cover ground but also offer a strong in-possession game as the deepest midfielder seems like a priority for those at United.
There haven’t been many rumours about this position, and those will likely come once the forward line is fully sorted out in the coming weeks.
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