Former Manchester United forward Michael Owen has claimed it would be “impossible” to replace a Manchester United star linked away from Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s summer transfer window could be even more important than the last, when Jason Wilcox was looking to improve Rúben Amorim’s squad for a Champions League spot push in the Premier League.
Matheus Cunha, Senne Lammens, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško have all proven to be impressive additions, but Amorim’s shortcomings led to his dismissal following the draw against Leeds United at the start of January.
Darren Fletcher took short-term charge before Michael Carrick was appointed head coach until the end of the season.
Without any knowledge of who will be the head coach next season, planning for the summer transfer window will be difficult, but it will be crucial to how United perform at the early stages of next season.
Some players may also ask to leave the club following bids both last summer and the January transfer window, but Michael Owen’s claims will make United think twice before making a final decision on any one player.
The star who will be “impossible” to replace
Under Michael Carrick, United have looked like much more of a team, rather than a group of individuals wearing the same colours, but Bruno Fernandes continues to stand out from the rest, with one goal and four assists since Carrick took charge.
When speaking on rumours of Fernandes’ future, Owen told The Metro: “It’s an interesting one, isn’t it, because of his age. He has the quality, and that experience he brings, but it’s a business and everybody’s got a price.
“If there’s going to be massive money that comes in, then it’s got to be a decision to be made. He’s obviously on big wages as well. But if he goes, it’s going to hit them hard. They’ll have to replace him with somebody good.
“Everybody is saying, ‘Oh, Manchester United are flying now, how many players do they need to get to the next level to maybe go and challenge for the title?’ when really, it’s how do they replace one or two that are going to go as well as adding to improve the quality.”
Fernandes has a £57 million release clause in his United contract, but it is generally understood that this only applies to clubs overseas. The United captain has been subject to heavy interest from Saudi Arabia.
Owen thinks United will consider a deal
Owen continued: “It’s a real tricky one because he is so good you can understand if massive money comes for somebody of that age, why it could be something that Manchester United would look at.
“But trying to replace him would be nigh on impossible. So it’s watch this space, really, but it’s a bit of a conundrum for everybody involved.”
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Owen clearly sees Fernandes as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. “The biggest compliment you can give him is that when Manchester United were struggling, and they have been struggling over the last few years, he was still a standout player,” he continued.
“I can’t tell you how hard that is and how rarely you will see it with teams. When they’re struggling, everybody struggles. It’s very, very rare that one player stands out and keeps his level and continues to play really well.
“So, I’m even more impressed with him before this run. I know he’s probably playing better now, but to play really well in a struggling team takes a lot of character, and he did that for many years.”
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