Bruno Fernandes in contract talks that would make him Manchester United's highest earner

Manchester United are in advanced talks to make Bruno Fernandes the club’s highest-paid player, with a new contract expected to raise his weekly wage from £300,000 to around £350,000, according to reports. The negotiations follow a hat-trick in Sunday’s 5-2 rout of Ipswich at Old Trafford that further cemented his status as United’s most influential player.

Fernandes, who was named PFA Player of the Year just days before the Ipswich match, opened the scoring to level the game before United ran riot in the second half. The performance was another reminder of why the club blocked an £80 million move to Saudi Arabia — a departure that manager Ruben Amorim refused to sanction.

The 30-year-old currently earns £300,000 a week, placing him below Marcus Rashford, who takes home £325,000 but has spent the last 18 months away from the club before recently returning. United have generally sought to restrain their wage structure in recent years, but those inside the club acknowledge that Fernandes is operating at a level that warrants an exception.

Fernandes has signed new terms twice before — in 2022 and 2024 — with each deal extending his contract by a year while delivering a significant salary increase. The pattern is expected to continue with his next agreement.

The accolades have stacked up alongside the performances. In addition to the PFA award, Fernandes claimed the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year prize midway through last season, during which he broke the Premier League single-season assists record. He also won an unprecedented fifth Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in May.

Former United captain Gary Neville was effusive in his praise after Sunday’s display, calling Fernandes the best signing the club has made since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. “He is the best signing post Sir Alex Ferguson by an absolute mile,” Neville said. “He has got the guts, the courage, the belief to play for Manchester United, the numbers he has delivered with assists and goals. He’s an outstanding player, he really is.”

Since joining from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has scored 110 goals in 329 appearances — a return that makes the anticipated pay rise difficult to argue against.