Man Utd open contract talks with Fernandes as Carrick plans rotation role for captain

Manchester United have opened contract talks with Bruno Fernandes after Galatasaray moved to test the club’s resolve with a planned €50 million (£43m) offer for the Portuguese captain, who enters the 2025-26 campaign in the final year of his deal at Old Trafford.

Fernandes, 31, is understood to want to remain at the club, and United have moved quickly to begin negotiations with the midfielder and his representatives. The development comes after the most productive individual season of his career, in which he broke the Premier League assist record with 21 and helped United secure Champions League qualification.

Manager Michael Carrick has indicated that Fernandes will be used more selectively this season, citing the demands of competing across multiple fronts and the need to keep key players fresh. “Bruno’s part of that,” Carrick said. “He’s a big player for us, he’s obviously our captain, but there’s still elements where we need to look after him.”

Carrick’s comments came ahead of United’s 2-0 defeat away to Hull on Saturday, and reflect a broader shift in thinking around squad depth in midfield. The club has added Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and is closing in on Carlos Baleba, giving Carrick significantly more options through the centre of the pitch. Mason Mount had also shown promise in pre-season before suffering a minor hamstring tear.

“I know we’ve got a good midfield,” Carrick added. “We’ve brought in some really top players and really good characters, which is important. You need a solid foundation through the middle of the team — I think if you look at all the great teams over the years, the spine is really strong. We’re conscious of that.”

Fernandes has been a remarkably durable presence since joining United in January 2020, missing only five games through injury across club and international football in that time. His fitness record has been a cornerstone of his influence, but Carrick appears intent on managing that asset more proactively as the season intensifies.