Omar Berrada, Manchester United's chief executive, has confirmed the club wants Bruno Fernandes to stay, despite the captain's mixed signals about his future. The 31-year-old midfielder, who was voted Football Writers' Footballer of the Year after a record-breaking 21 assists in the Premier League, has a contract expiring next summer with an option for an extra 12 months.
Berrada told the Inside Carrington podcast: 'We'd like him to stay, of course we do. He's had a great season on the pitch but more importantly he's shown to everybody that he is a great leader.' The CEO acknowledged that Fernandes had expressed doubts in November, when he told Canal 11 he felt 'hurt' by the club's apparent indifference to his potential departure. However, in March, Fernandes hinted he would remain, stating his dream to win the Premier League with United.
Berrada also addressed the rebuilding of trust after two rounds of redundancies that left around 450 people unemployed. 'It is true that the cost was very high for many people and it's taken a while for the club to build back that trust,' he said. 'I think we're in a much better place now and as we have seen in the latest financial results, those tough decisions have borne their fruit.'
United have a 'clear plan' for the summer transfer window, with a £35m fee agreed with Atalanta for Brazilian midfielder Éderson. Berrada emphasised discipline: 'We have to be really disciplined. We know what we can invest and we have to stick to that. It's very important that you don't let the market or the agents dictate what we should be doing.'
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Tom Heaton has signed a new one-year contract, extending his career into a 21st season. The 40-year-old made his debut in 2005 for Swindon during a first five-year spell at United that ended in 2010, returning to the club in 2021.
