Bruno Fernandes | United not interested due to doubts over passing ability

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We have five CBs at the club mate (Smalling, Jones, Lindelof, Bailly, Axel) Don't think we'll sign anyone for that position, unless maybe Leicester suddenly lower their demands for Maguire?
You forgot Rojo
 
City manage De Bruyne and Silva in a midfield 3 and I’d say both were 10’s so I don’t buy into the ‘Pogba and Fernandes can’t play together’ thing. I fully agree though about needing a quality out and out defensive midfielder to play between them, I don’t think Matic has the legs to do that job although a quality new centre back added to Wan-Bissaka makes us a lot more solid at the back.

I agree with the worries about Matic. We would need a hard working, powerful and fast CDM with Pogba and Fernandes both not being known for doing a lot of defensive work.
 
City manage De Bruyne and Silva in a midfield 3 and I’d say both were 10’s so I don’t buy into the ‘Pogba and Fernandes can’t play together’ thing. I fully agree though about needing a quality out and out defensive midfielder to play between them, I don’t think Matic has the legs to do that job although a quality new centre back added to Wan-Bissaka makes us a lot more solid at the back.
Surely you understand that works due to the system of play and the fact that both silva and DeBruyne are excellent with the ball.
 
Surely you understand that works due to the system of play and the fact that both silva and DeBruyne are excellent with the ball.

Of course they both are but then so are Fernandes (from what I’ve seen and heard) and Pogba too, the main difference is City having Fernandinho and quality wide players whereas we have Matic and no natural wide players let alone quality ones.
 
Of course they both are but then so are Fernandes (from what I’ve seen and heard) and Pogba too, the main difference is City having Fernandinho and quality wide players whereas we have Matic and no natural wide players let alone quality ones.
I see it differently as in that works by how they play and it’s enhanced by Silva and DeBruyne being excellent with their use of the ball and the amount of passing options that are created all over the field just due to how city play.

United play no where near that level and honestly I’m not sure Pogba could do that job and I don’t think Fernandes can either. It’s more than just Fernandinho being a good DM. That whole team works for each other so the options to move the ball quickly is there.

I think if we move for Fernandes we’ll shift to a 442 diamond and he’ll play at the top of a diamond and be free to get in the box and take shots but he for me doesn’t look like a guy who will control games or carve people up with good passing and movement say like an Eriksen would.
 
Have a feeling that we would only sign Bruno Fernandes if Pogba is leaving. If Pogba stays, we will probably get one midfielder which is the defensive midfielder we lack. New dm, Scott Mctominay/ Fred, and Pogba/ Bruno would be how our midfield look like.
 
So..we are starting our bid at 35 million and by end of July we will work our way to 65 million?

Just get it done so he can come in and train with the lads.
 
So..we are starting our bid at 35 million and by end of July we will work our way to 65 million?

Just get it done so he can come in and train with the lads.
If true I'd like to think we'll stand our ground, like we did with Wan-Bissaka. Teams usually meet in the middle anyway, in this case it looks like about 50m would do the trick.
 
One or maybe two improved offers away from getting much needed creative midfielder and goalscorer in one.

C'mon United, you can do it.
 
Will be honest, dont know shit about this player but this thing around his clause, anything knows more about it? What every time club declines offer 35 mil. plus, they have to pay him 5 mil. or?
 
Will be honest, dont know shit about this player but this thing around his clause, anything knows more about it? What every time club declines offer 35 mil. plus, they have to pay him 5 mil. or?
I believe it's a one time thing.
 
We would be good to hold our own at the £35M if this clause is true. Otherwise anything we offer you can bank on Sporting demanding £5M more to cover this payment.
 
I guess the idea behind it is, we'll pay you the release clause and take care of the fee you're supposed to pay Fernandes?

Not sure why Sporting would take that if they think they can get more than 40 m. It might just be bullshit.

E: Yeah I read through the SW article and that's not it at all.
 
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I’m sure this question has been asked, but if our strategy is based upon waiting for the fee to drop to an acceptable level, and the other sides don’t want to buy him because the fee is at an acceptable level, isn’t there the slightest chance that they might say “He’s available for €35m? Great. Where do we sign? ” and not “Damn. Outwitted by Ed Woodward again. If only there was something we could have done...”

I mean, a more cynical man might think that they’re punting around a player to anyone who’ll listen because they know his value will likely never be as high as this summer.
 
I’m sure this question has been asked, but if our strategy is based upon waiting for the fee to drop to an acceptable level, and the other sides don’t want to buy him because the fee is at an acceptable level, isn’t there the slightest chance that they might say “He’s available for €35m? Great. Where do we sign? ” and not “Damn. Outwitted by Ed Woodward again. If only there was something we could have done...”

I mean, a more cynical man might think that they’re punting around a player to anyone who’ll listen because they know his value will likely never be as high as this summer.
I imagine we'd have an agreement with the player and had a solid commitment he wants to join us before trying such tactics.

Then again we did bid 50m for Fred from Ukraine, so I wouldn't be surprised if we did go higher.
 
I’m sure this question has been asked, but if our strategy is based upon waiting for the fee to drop to an acceptable level, and the other sides don’t want to buy him because the fee is at an acceptable level, isn’t there the slightest chance that they might say “He’s available for €35m? Great. Where do we sign? ” and not “Damn. Outwitted by Ed Woodward again. If only there was something we could have done...”

I mean, a more cynical man might think that they’re punting around a player to anyone who’ll listen because they know his value will likely never be as high as this summer.
I imagine Woody will wait until we're deep into pre season and there's no chance of integrating him into the team and then crack and offer €57m plus add ons
 
Bruno Fernades apparently has an odd clause that if Sporting turn down an offer of £35m they then have to pay him £5m.

Maybe United have agreed to bid low as a way to trigger the £5m as a sweetner to Bruno Fernades..?
 
Apparently from what I've read, Bruno's contract has a clause in it that states the player is due €5m (£4.5m) if Sporting reject an offer of €35m (£31.3m) or more.

According to reuters, Sporting gave Bruno a new 5 year contract last July with a release clause set at 100m euros.
 
That is some real shithousery from us if we've just made them pay him 5m. Sounds a bit too farcical not to be real though
 
Bruno Fernades apparently has an odd clause that if Sporting turn down an offer of £35m they then have to pay him £5m.

Maybe United have agreed to bid low as a way to trigger the £5m as a sweetner to Bruno Fernades..?

Damn, you beat me to it by 4 minutes.
 
Bruno Fernades apparently has an odd clause that if Sporting turn down an offer of £35m they then have to pay him £5m.

Maybe United have agreed to bid low as a way to trigger the £5m as a sweetner to Bruno Fernades..?
If that's the case surely we must be confident we have terms agreed with Bruno otherwise he could now just go to whichever club he fancies with £5m in his back pocket. If we have done this though, I would expect a long and bitter battle to get him with Sporting keen to sell him to anyone but us.
 
United are playing with fire here!

Do we want him or are we trying to barter with the village sweet shop ?!
 
Likewise could this not have a counter whereby Sporting add 5m to their valuation each time we low-ball them?
 
Kinda underhanded to put Sporting in such a position if true, just make a reasonable opening offer. No point ruining relations between the club.
 
€35m is just stupidly low. €50m would be a bargain - which I guess they are aiming for something around there.
 
Have we not learned enough about Portugese newspapers to know that everything they type about their players and English clubs is horseshit?
 
The 5 million clause if a 35 million bid is rejected is true. It was confirmed by Sousa Cintra, the guy who negotiated Bruno's contract and former Sporting president.

One thing I've heard on a couple of footie shows here (not confirmed by Sporting if true or not) is that last time Sporting negotiated with banks their debt management, it was agreed that if Sporting sells players above 10 million, the banks get 40% of the fee to cover their debt. If true, Sporting either gets a big fee of it's not worth it for them, might as well keep the player.

The guy is good, for the prices being paid all over the place, it surprises me nobody has offered the 60 million Sporting are (reportedly) asking.
 
People saying that you can't fit Bruno and Pogba into the same midfield are forgetting that having only one creative midfielder in the side makes it so easy for teams to nullify us.

All our good stuff from midfield comes through Pogba, take him out of the equation and we run out of ideas. Having two creative outlays in the middle of the park would really help to open teams up. Will need a good holding midfielder with them though.

The problem is not having 2 creative midfielders but the players being involved into it. Bruno is an excellent player whose got the necessary work rate to fit in at United. However, he gets less effective the deeper he goes in midfield. Pogba on the other hand, hates to backtrack. The fact that he wants to leave won't help at all. I wouldn't have any issues if we bought Bruno when Scholes and Carrick were in CM.

I rate Pogba highly and I think that last season he was our best player. Having said that, at this point, we should sell him up. Someone like Doucouré, Van De Beek or even Eriksen could make it work.
 
Woodward knows the value of Pogba as an asset.
I do not see Pogba leaving this season because no one can meet the price we are asking.
On a matter of principle I agree we should not make it easy for Real or anybody else.
Pogba will not destroy his own reputation by downing tools. With the right upgrade of the team, he may feel differently end of the season.
 
Woodward knows the value of Pogba as an asset.
I do not see Pogba leaving this season because no one can meet the price we are asking.
On a matter of principle I agree we should not make it easy for Real or anybody else.
Pogba will not destroy his own reputation by downing tools. With the right upgrade of the team, he may feel differently end of the season.

Let's pray he's more of a Longstaff fan than I am.
 
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