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18 months after leaving, Man Utd flop is worth more than Bruno & McTominay
Could the end be near for Manchester United? Is Bruno Fernandes‘ time at Old Trafford finally coming to a climax?
It’s been a journey that has carried the Portuguese genius toward legend status, yet the prospect of life after the 31-year-old has been brought into sharp focus, following his recent comments regarding his United future.
With his existing deal set to expire in 2027, the £300k-per-week talent could well be the latest high-profile talent to move on under the INEOS regime, with the last 18 months having witnessed a real ruthless overhaul of the playing squad.
Fernandes may well look to the success of some of his former teammates away from Manchester as further fuel for wanting to seek out a fresh start, with all the glorious moments, all the goals and assists having thus far yielded just an FA Cup and Carabao Cup for the 2020 arrival.
The highs of Scott McTominay, and others, have showcased that the grass can be greener, albeit with INEOS no doubt wary of signing off on potentially another controversial sale.
Every senior Man Utd player sold under INEOS
Ever since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co took control of operations back in early 2024, there has been a clear desire to try and right the wrongs of the previous regimes, with Ratcliffe himself pointing to expensive, “inherited” signings in interviews earlier this year.
Two of those have since departed, with Antony heading back to Real Betis on a permanent deal, while Rasmus Hojlund joined Napoli on a season-long loan that includes a conditional obligation to buy.
Perhaps the biggest and most noteworthy decision of the summer was INEOS’ backing of Ruben Amorim regarding Alejandro Garnacho, with the 2024 FA Cup final goalscorer shipped off to Chelsea, having been told to find a new club by his manager at the end of last season.
With Andre Onana, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho all shipped out on loan too, the ruthlessness of INEOS’ first window in charge has been replicated, with that previous summer of 2024 seeing McTominay lead the string of departures from Old Trafford.
The likes of Mason Greenwood and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were also sent on their way; Donny van de Beek was sold for just £500k, while the French duo of Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial departed for nothing.
That desire to rip it up and start again also saw United opt to cash in on a handful of potential prospects, namely Hannibal Mejbri, Facundo Pellistri and Willy Kambwala, with none of that trio truly solidifying a regular role for themselves under Erik ten Hag.
It’s fair to say that with Mejbri now at relegated Burnley, Pellistri now out in Greece, and Kambwala enduring an injury-hit stint at Villarreal, INEOS appear to have made the right calls in those cases.
That said, they certainly haven’t got it all right.
Man Utd’s forgotten flop is now worth more than Fernandes & McTominay
If there was one area in which Ten Hag certainly shades Amorim, it is with regard to his faith in United’s academy ranks, having overseen the promotion of both Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, while also pushing Toby Collyer at the start of last season.
Even a youth-focused coach like the Dutchman can make mistakes in that department, however, with it still representing a glaring oversight not to have handed a chance to talented full-back, Alvaro Carreras, during his stint in charge.
Signed from Real Madrid in the summer of 2020, the same period that saw Garnacho snapped up from rivals, Atletico, the teenage Carreras – or Fernandez, as he was known then – went on to spend four years on the books at United without making a single senior appearance, even amid a left-back injury crisis.
The decision to overlook the Spaniard in 2023/24, off the back of a standout loan at Preston North End in the Championship, was particularly egregious, with Ten Hag instead trialling a raft of makeshift options on the left flank, including Victor Lindelof and Sofyan Amrabat.
With Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia both long-term absentees, and Sergio Reguilon seeing his loan end mid-way through the campaign, January 2024 would’ve been the perfect time for the youngster to get the nod.
Instead, following his return from a loan spell at Granada, Carreras went back out to Benfica, before signing permanently for the Portuguese side for an initial fee of just £5m that summer.
18 months later, the 22-year-old is now a regular fixture in Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid side, after sealing a £42m switch to the Bernabeu earlier this year. United, both in January and over the summer, opted not to activate a reported £16m buyback clause.
|
Most Valuable Man Utd Graduates |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Value |
|
Alvaro Carreras |
£52m |
|
Mason Greenwood |
£44m |
|
Scott McTominay |
£44m |
|
Anthony Elanga |
£44m |
|
Alejandro Garnacho |
£40m |
|
Marcus Rashford |
£40m |
|
Kobbie Mainoo |
£35m |
A player being likened to new teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold for his attacking quality, Carreras’ rise has been seen in his soaring market value, with Transfermarkt deeming him to be worth as much as €60m (£52m).
He is now the most valuable United academy graduate, ahead of McTominay – who is deemed to be worth €45m (£39m) – with that figure even placing him ahead of Fernandes, whose worth has fallen to just €40m (£35m).
On current evidence, that status and standing is only set to improve, with even the sweetener of United’s 20% sell-on clause, as part of that Madrid switch, unable to overshadow the club’s, and Ten Hag’s, bizarre handling of such an obvious talent.
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