Manchester United are contemplating a sale of club captain Bruno Fernandes next summer amid growing tensions behind the scenes.

According to Football Insider, Fernandes’s future could lie away from Manchester United, with the club already considering selling their captain next summer. With the veteran playmaker now in the final year of his deal, the Red Devils retain an option to extend his contract by another season, as they contemplate attracting offers ahead of the close season.

A lot has happened at Manchester United over the last few weeks, with the team still struggling to gain relevance through results on the pitch. Heavy defeats to Como in the Champions League and then to Bournemouth at the weekend have created plenty of uncertainty behind the scenes, which could even see Michael Carrick lose his job.

One of the major topics of discussion is the status of Bruno Fernandes, who came out to criticise the manager in the aftermath of the Como defeat. While there have been suggestions that he could be stripped of the captaincy, Carrick did not select the skipper in the defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday. Now, the club are reportedly contemplating selling their captain next summer, and offers could be assessed.

Earlier reports pointed towards contract talks over a new deal, which were reportedly held up by an issue regarding the length of any agreement. Now, the discussion has shifted towards a potential sale, with Manchester United already considering triggering the 12-month extension in his deal to protect his value ahead of next summer.

What next for Bruno Fernandes?

With tensions boiling over behind the scenes and the next steps from the club or their manager unclear, Fernandes could be at the end of his Manchester United career. Since joining the club in a €55 million deal back in 2020, the Portuguese playmaker has been a key performer for the Red Devils. However, things have soured behind the scenes following his comments against the manager and his tactics recently.

There could be a few options, with reports pointing to Atletico Madrid keeping tabs on his situation. There have been suggestions that Fernandes could leave the club next summer, while Saudi Arabia is also mentioned as a potential option for his next career move.

Galatasaray held an interest during the summer, although recent reports have stated that the Turkish giants have since cooled their pursuit of the Portuguese international. It remains to be seen whether the Istanbul side come back into the mix, while there will be others, including teams from Saudi Arabia, showing interest once Manchester United make their stance clear.