United close in on Page as Fernandes contract talks set to accelerate after window

Manchester United are pushing ahead with efforts to sign Leicester City midfielder Louis Page and expect to resume contract negotiations with Bruno Fernandes, according to reports from inside the club.

Louis Page pursuit continues

A deadline-day move for the 18-year-old Page broke down after United and Leicester failed to agree on fee structure and add-on terms, with the teenager subsequently named in Leicester’s League One squad for their clash with Plymouth Argyle. Despite that, lines of communication between the two clubs have remained open.

Leicester had set a benchmark above the £10 million plus £2.5 million in add-ons they received from Manchester City for 17-year-old Jeremy Monga, and the sticking point was the payment terms for the initial fee rather than the overall valuation. United are understood to remain confident a deal can be finalised in time for the January window, with Page expected to continue the season at Leicester regardless.

Page is viewed as a different proposition to many of the young prospects United have recruited in recent years. He made 18 Championship appearances last season and has already featured regularly for Russell Martin’s side this term — a profile that makes a loan back to Leicester the logical arrangement rather than a step down to Premier League 2 football.

Arsenal’s potential interest represents the main risk to United completing the deal. However, Page has family in Manchester and is said to be convinced by the development pathway presented to him at Old Trafford.

Fernandes contract accelerates

United opened preliminary talks with captain Bruno Fernandes over a new deal during the summer but deliberately held back from tabling a formal proposal until the transfer window had closed. That process is now expected to move forward.

Fernandes’ current contract expires at the end of this season, though United hold a one-year extension option. The club’s preference is to agree fresh terms before that clause needs to be triggered. If negotiations drag into January — when Fernandes would become free to discuss a pre-contract with overseas clubs ahead of a potential 2027 free transfer — United may be forced to act on that option sooner.

Reports of Galatasaray’s interest late in the window drew attention, and while a move to Turkey would seem unlikely for a player of Fernandes’ competitive drive, the speculation served as a reminder that the Portuguese midfielder retains significant market value as he approaches his 32nd birthday.

Ineos have worked to reduce the wage bill at Old Trafford over the past two years, though Marcus Rashford’s return and his £325,000-a-week salary has complicated that picture. How United balance those financial constraints against retaining their most influential player will be one of the defining stories of the coming months.

Patrick Amass

The future of young defender Patrick Amass also remains a topic of internal discussion at the club, though the specifics of his situation are still developing.