Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has rejected a second contract offer from the club, sources told BBC Sport. The Portugal midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season, though the club has the option to trigger a 12-month extension until 2028. United has been keen to avoid relying on that clause by extending the 32-year-old's existing deal and has been in talks with his representatives in recent months. If a fresh agreement is not reached, it is almost certain the club will trigger the extension before Jan. 1. At that point, because the contract would be within six months of expiring, Fernandes would be able to sign a pre-contract with a foreign club.
It is unclear when he turned down the latest proposal, and a quick resolution appears unlikely given the upheaval at Old Trafford. Michael Carrick was sacked as head coach on Thursday after the club's worst start to a domestic campaign in 40 years. U.S. men's national-team coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to replace him and is set to take charge for the first time when United travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Nov. 22. The club will hope that appointment persuades Fernandes to stay. He came close to joining Pochettino's Tottenham in 2019 before the move collapsed, and he signed for United six months later. The former Sporting midfielder has scored six times in 13 matches this season.
In an analysis accompanying the report, BBC Sport noted that it is common for a first or second offer to be rejected in negotiations, and that both sides may have reasons to be cautious about a long commitment. Fernandes, the analysis said, wants to compete for the biggest prizes and will want to see what impact Pochettino has after another season of promise was not built upon. He was coveted by the Saudi Pro League 18 months ago, though the feeling has been that he would prefer to stay in Europe. United, for its part, will have noted a drop-off from last season, when he broke the Premier League assists record and won the major player-of-the-year honours. The report cited Liverpool's last contract with Mohamed Salah as a cautionary example of a heavy financial burden if a senior star then underperforms.
The verified news is a rejected second offer and a looming January deadline for the extension option, not a departure announcement or a completed new deal. Pochettino's arrival is the next test of whether the stand-off can still be resolved.