United open Bruno Fernandes contract talks as Tapsoba valued at £43m

Manchester United have opened contract talks with Bruno Fernandes after Galatasaray registered a £43m bid for the club captain, while Bayer Leverkusen have placed an identical £43m price tag on centre-back Edmond Tapsoba ahead of the transfer window’s closing stages.

Galatasaray’s interest in Fernandes emerged earlier this week, with the Turkish club reportedly willing to offer the Portuguese midfielder the chance to double his current £300,000-a-week salary in the Super Lig. United, however, are moving to retain their captain and have entered negotiations over a new deal.

On the defensive front, Leverkusen have indicated they would consider selling Tapsoba if an interested club meets their £43m valuation, according to fussballdaten. The 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has been linked with a Premier League move on several occasions and has made 237 appearances for the German club since joining from Portuguese side Vitoria in 2020. He was part of the Leverkusen squad that claimed the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2024. Newcastle and Tottenham are also said to be monitoring the situation.

The reported fee may complicate United’s interest, however. Tapsoba signed a new five-year contract just months ago, signalling how highly Leverkusen value the defender, and central defence is considered a relatively well-stocked area at Old Trafford. Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez provide experienced options alongside Harry Maguire, with Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven offering emerging competition for starting berths and Luke Shaw available as additional cover.

New manager Michael Carrick oversaw an encouraging pre-season, despite a final defeat to Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan, with United’s Premier League campaign set to open against Hull City on Saturday. With the window narrowing, the club faces decisions on where to direct their remaining recruitment budget before the deadline.