It is confirmed that Bruno Fernandes will leave Manchester United next year, as he cannot coexist with Cunha! The agent is confident about the transfer to Saudi Arabia.

Once an undisputed key player for Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes has now become a controversial figure at Old Trafford, with some even believing he is a burden to the team. In the Red Devils' 1-3 defeat to Brentford, he missed a penalty, squandering a great chance to equalize, and naturally faced criticism.

Laurie Whitwell from The Athletic commented that although the VAR took too long to decide whether Nathan Collins should be sent off for fouling Mbeumo, and Brentford’s coach Keith Andrews deliberately delayed the penalty by making a substitution, Fernandes’ performance was still poor.

After waiting for five minutes, Fernandes clearly lost his composure. His penalty lacked both power and placement, allowing the goalkeeper to easily save it after reacting to the shot.

This is not Fernandes’ first penalty controversy this season. In the August match against Fulham, while preparing to take a penalty, he bumped into the referee while stepping back, complained repeatedly as captain, and then kicked the ball wildly away.

Renowned football analyst Henry Winter also criticized Fernandes: “Their midfield is invisible. Fernandes plays as a number 10 but lacks defensive awareness, makes individual mistakes, misses penalties, and shows neither fighting spirit nor leadership on or off the pitch. He insists on a system that doesn’t suit them. Watching their games is painful. Manchester United’s loss was inevitable.”

Moreover, the 31-year-old Fernandes showed dissatisfaction with new teammate Cunha’s decision-making during the match. When the £62.5 million Brazilian forward forced a shot himself, the Portuguese player expressed his anger with his signature shrug.

Former Premier League striker Obafemi Martins believes Fernandes is a good player but not a good leader, and appointing him as captain was a wrong decision for Manchester United. “I don’t understand why United took the captaincy from Maguire. Fernandes is not a leader, though he’s a great player. Maguire communicates better with teammates and is a better leader.”

Many think Fernandes and Cunha cannot coexist. For years, Fernandes has controlled the midfield and attack at Manchester United, freely attempting through balls. Cunha plays a similar “free role” upfront at Wolves, typical of a key player in lower-tier teams.

Ruben Amorim’s tactical plan was to push Fernandes back into midfield in a 3-4-3 formation, which is widely regarded as a failed move. Although it allowed all the best players to appear together in one lineup, the result was far from ideal. Veteran fans might recall Real Madrid’s “Galácticos” first phase or England’s old “Two Dees” dilemma.

According to the UK’s Football Insider, Fernandes is unhappy with his midfield role and may ultimately decide to leave Manchester United next year. During this summer’s transfer window, he rejected offers from Saudi Pro League clubs Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al-Ittihad.

The club has left the decision to Fernandes himself, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS management team do not oppose selling him. Next year, Manchester United might actively push for the Portuguese “Iron Man” to transfer, while Saudi investors remain very interested in him.

Ben Jacobs revealed that on the potential 2026 Saudi Pro League transfer list, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva is ranked first, with negotiations over a four-year contract ongoing for two years. Fernandes, Harry Kane, and others are also on the list, and agents are particularly optimistic about securing Fernandes. His situation is clear: if he stays at Manchester United, it may end badly.