Ratcliffe overseeing a pivotal summer at Old Trafford (Picture: Getty)
Bayern Munich have held talks with Bruno Fernandes’ agent in their first move to try and sign the Manchester United captain this summer.
Fernandes has arguably been United’s best player from the moment he arrived at Old Trafford in January 2020, enjoying a superb end to the 2023-24 season which culminated in lifting the FA Cup after a thrilling win over Manchester City.
Speaking in April, Fernandes did not rule out a move away from Manchester this summer but did reiterate his commitment to the club at the end of the season, insisting he will be at the club as long as they want him.
‘I will be here until… I said the club needs to want me,’ Fernandes said.
‘I feel that is the case, the club wants me to be a part of the future. As I’ve always said, I don’t want to be a player that the club doesn’t want to have.
‘If for some reason the club doesn’t want to have me I will go but if they want me I will stay.’
Fernandes wants assurances the club can match his ambitions as a player and has said he will decide his future after Portugal’s Euro 2024 campaign this summer.
Fernandes played a vital role in United’s FA Cup success (Picture: Getty)
Bayern Munich are among the clubs eager to lure him away from United with O Jogo reporting the German giants have taken their first steps in trying to sign him.
The report claims Bayern are already in talks with Miguel Pinho, Fernandes’ agent, with Barcelona also expressing an interest in the midfielder.
Fernandes, who joined United from Sporting Lisbon in a £46million deal, scored nine goals in his last 11 games of the season, also providing an audacious assist for Kobbie Mainoo at Wembley against City.
That cup triumph was their second in two seasons but United finished 31 points behind City in the Premier League title race, also missing out on Champions League qualification.
‘I don’t want to leave. This has always been my ultimate dream,’ Fernandes wrote for the Players’ Tribune.
‘I just want my expectations to fit with the expectations of the club. If you go talk to any fan, they will tell you the same thing. We want to compete for the league. We want to be playing Champions League football. We want to be in cup finals. That is the standard.’
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