Despite still being one of the most popular clubs in world football, Manchester United’s status as a Premier League powerhouse has been called into question following a challenging season.
Manchester United’s 2024/25 campaign was their worst on record since the Premier League’s inception, with the side finishing 15th in the domestic table and trophyless for the first time in three seasons.
The club was knocked out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup by Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, with the latter also claiming victory over them in the Europa League final.
Rúben Amorim took over from former manager Erik ten Hag in November 2024 but failed to steady the ship, with some questioning if it was the wrong appointment to make.
Across the 2025 summer transfer window, United hope to make major changes to their squad, having already signed Matheus Cunha and closing in on Bryan Mbeumo.
United’s most underrated business this summer is keeping Fernandes
Toward the beginning of the summer, United captain Bruno Fernandes was being pursued by Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, with the Middle Eastern outfit willing to offer him a £700,000-a-week contract.
Fernandes took the offer seriously, with the Saudi side also open to bidding around £100 million to United for the player, which would have allowed the club to spend more freely in the summer market.
However, the Portuguese international instead chose to stay after crunch talks with both United’s board members and Amorim himself, with Fernandes convinced that the team were on the right path.
While signing Cunha and Mbeumo do wonders for the club’s attack, keeping Fernandes is just as vital, as he is by far the most well-respected player at Old Trafford, the captain of the squad, and United’s best player.
Fernandes staying proves United are still a big club
Fernandes’ remaining at United has become a rather underrated part of United’s summer business so far, with much of the focus being on United’s new incoming.
Former striker and club legend Teddy Sheringham has revisited the decision, explaining that Fernandes remaining at Old Trafford ahead of next season proves that United are still a major force in England.
“I think it’s great that Fernandes wants to stay,” Sheringham explained. “He realises what a big club United are.
“United probably had that same thought, where they could have sold him to Saudi Arabia for 100 million or something like that, for a 30-year-old. They could have landed big money to really start recharging the batteries at United with new players.
“But good on Fernandes. He realises that United obviously aren’t at the top of their game at the moment, but they’re still one of the biggest football clubs around. You want to stay there for as long as you can.
“I really like Bruno. He’s head and shoulders the best player. You would much rather have a Manchester United team with him in it than without him.”
Teddy Sheringham was speaking to Racing Tipster.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.