Man utd miss their coutinho moment as Bruno Fernandes Al-Hilal Snubt

Oh, to be a fly on the wall of the office of Sir Jim Ratcliffe when the news broke that Bruno Fernandes had rejected a mega bid of £ 100 million from Saudi -Arabia.

Manchester UnitedThe partial owner could not have believed his happiness when Al-Hilal offered to take Captain Fernandes, who turns 31 in September 31, and to give the Red Devils a much-needed money injection.

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RatcliffeHe claimed that the “bloated” club “Buste at Christmas” would go, has led a ruthless cost-saving drive to Old Trafford-450 employees settled, including the beloved receptionists and also free canteen food for employees.

So to have the potential to receive a sum of nine digits for a player whose legs only become carriers, was almost too good to be true.

And it turned out to be. . . But only because Fernandes rejected the claims of Al-Hilal.

Even the range of tax-free £ 700,000 a week was not enough to lure the Portuguese star to the Middle East.

Yet Fernandes‘Admiring resistance has again thrown the chaotic transfer plans of United in the air.

It’s back to the drawing table for Ratcliffe and Manager Ruben Amorimwho are under pressure to juggle the books with profit and sustainability rules after not being eligible for Europe.

Despite the fact that Fernandes turns Saudi wealth, the midfielder could still be a target this summer for European clubs, although it is unlikely that the offers are even half of the amazing transfer costs offered by Al-Hilal.

And even if he stays, will fans of Red Devils now debate where Fernandes fits in Amorim’s rebuild next season?

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Amorim is married to his 3-4-3 formation and his early transfer activity seems to agree.

Wolves’ Matheus Cunha has signed in a deal of £ 62.5 million And Bryan Mbeumo is now a target of £ 50 million from Brentford, with the duo that is expected to play in the attacking positions behind the only striker.

Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho, coupled to Chelsea and Napoli, are other options for the wide forward roles.

Fernandes will probably see that quartet go further back to one of the two central midfield berths that he fulfilled in the final loss of the Europa League against Tottenham.

Amorim has other options in the center of the park, including Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount.

Casemiro is on great wages, Amorim knows Ugarte well from their time together at Sporting Lisbon and the United Boss Raded Lofed on Mount after his return to fitness towards the end of the season.

While Talent Mainoo, 20, of home -grown, is an intriguing prospect.

So where will Fernandes play regularly? In last season’s disastrous campaign, Amorim heavily relied on Talismian Fernandes to dig his sad 15th placed Prem Side from the mud, 19 times in all competitions.

Failed Coutinho Moment

The quality and consistency of Fernandes led to Saudi’s eye-watery bid and the £ 100 million compensation will play in the spirit of Ratcliffe in their ‘Mission 21’ operation to hit Liverpool “of their perch” again.

The Reds went through a similar scenario more than seven years ago when they sold Star Man Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for a stunning £ 142 million.

The transfer costs gave Jurgen Klopp the opportunity to rebuild while the German used that money to get Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, and his new spine supplied the Champions League and Premier League titles.

If Fernandes stays with United, then club legend Gary Neville believes that Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho all have to leave.

Garnacho crashed with Amorim after the loss of Bilbao against Tottenham, while the other three have all been on loan this season.

Neville said: “If players come across the manager in public and interrogate via social media, the manager must win.

Neville’s transfer advice

“If the manager does not win, the manager has to leave and I don’t think that will happen this time. That happened way too often before. I think Garnacho will leave pure, I think they have enough.

“Marcus has to leave for him and the club. I think that ship has sailed and he must find another club.

“It sounds like Villa will not keep him. I would say because of Marcus and United that it feels like that path has ended.

“I feel a bit the same way with Jadon as with Marcus. I would worry a bit that Chelsea did not make the sounds that they are going to keep him. United must ensure that they say goodbye to him.

“Antony went to Spain and saw a few players with whom I played, don’t do it old traffic, but do it in Spain … I think he is suitable on the floor and it has been proven.”

Ratcliffe may have canned hundreds of local employees, but he will soon discover that it is much more difficult to get rid of superstar players who are tied to huge contracts.

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