Bruno Fernandes was forced off with a muscle injury in Manchester United’s defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, with reports suggesting the midfielder could be out for at least a month
Manchester United and Ruben Amorim are facing the prospect of entering 2026 without star player Bruno Fernandes, who suffered a muscle injury in Sunday’s Premier League loss to Aston Villa. Fernandes sustained the injury towards the end of the first half at Villa Park and was substituted at half-time.
Reports suggest that the United skipper could be sidelined for at least a month. “I think it’s a soft-tissue injury so it’s going to be a while,” Amorim revealed after the match.
“He is a guy who is always fit so we hope he can recover well. We will see. It’s an injury and sometimes it’s bad luck or something else at the same time. You can never control these things.
“We will need to find solutions and we cannot use anything as an excuse. We need to prepare all the guys that we have for the next game. No one is going to remember these problems, so let’s cope with that. It will make us stronger.”
The timing of Fernandes’ injury is unfortunate, coming just days before the January transfer window opens, and calls for a new midfielder to be signed as a priority at Old Trafford are likely to intensify. However, Amorim has insisted that the club must avoid making any errors in the upcoming transfer window.
READ MORE: How Man Utd can line up without Bruno Fernandes as Ruben Amorim makes transfer stance clearREAD MORE: Bruno Fernandes exchange with Aston Villa fans during Man Utd loss caught on camera
“We need to deal with that. What we cannot do is reach January and try to do everything with urgency and make mistakes again and be left saying ‘here we go again’,” he stated.
“I am not going to go to Jason [Wilcox] and say we need a lot of players. If we have to suffer, the club comes first. Of course, we are in the moment that we need points, but we are going to continue with our plan. In this moment, you may feel we are going to struggle, but we will see.”
The impact of Fernandes’ injury on United’s transfer plans remains uncertain. With doubts surrounding Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro, a new midfielder was already high on their agenda, but the Fernandes problem has made the situation more urgent.
Fortunately, United have the chance to replace the 31-year-old in the short term and address their midfield issues early in the transfer window. Ruben Neves is a name that has been consistently mentioned as a potential target for United, dating back to his time at Wolves.
Now plying his trade at Al-Hilal, the 28-year-old is being linked with a return to the Premier League after turning down a new contract in Saudi Arabia. The Times has reported that Al-Hilal are resigned to losing him on a free transfer in the summer and are now open to selling him in January in an attempt to recoup some of the £47million they paid for him in 2023.
A price tag of £18m has been suggested, but it’s thought that clubs showing interest could secure the Portuguese star for significantly less, potentially offering United a bargain deal for the start of 2026. During his stint at Wolves, Neves made a name for himself as a reliable Premier League midfielder, renowned for his spectacular long-range goals.
United’s pursuit of players like Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, who carry price tags nearing £100m, means that more affordable alternatives will need to be explored this transfer window. Neves, potentially available for as little as £10m, could be the ideal first January signing.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
