A pundit has told Manchester United they would “probably be relegated” without a star who is reportedly considering quitting the club this summer.
United had their worst season in Premier League history in 2024-25. After finishing eighth the season prior, they slumped down to 15th in the top flight.
Only three players, Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho, scored more than five goals in the Premier League.
Discussing the future of Fernandes on talkSPORT, Troy Deeney suggested United’s season would have been very bleak without him
“You can’t deny his quality. If it wasn’t for him this season, they probably would be relegated.”
United finished on 42 points, 17 ahead of the final relegated side, Leicester. Given Fernandes scored eight goals and assisted another 11, without him, things could indeed have been much worse for them.
That is pertinent for the upcoming season, with a lot of speculation over the attacking midfielder’s potential exit. It’s said Fernandes’ agent has held ‘positive talks’ with Al Hilal over a very lucrative contract there, and he’s ‘giving serious thought to quitting’ United.
Indeed, he’s said to be mulling over the proposal, with the Saudi Arabian side wanting an answer from Fernandes soon, as they’d like him for the Club World Cup if he was to be signed, which begins on June 14.
It remains to be seen whether the United man would actually give up on the Old Trafford outfit, given he stated after the Europa League final loss: “I have always been honest. I’ve always said I will be here until the club says to me that it’s time to go.
“I’m eager to do more, to be able to bring the club the great days. In the day that the club thinks that I’m too much or it’s time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it. But I’ve always said it and I keep my word in the same way.
“If the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it’s what it is, and football sometimes is like this.”
READ MORE: Man Utd will ‘reignite’ interest in £85m striker pair as Chelsea take favourite off board