Manchester United have been told to think again before deciding to offer Bruno Fernandes a new contract.
The Portugal international is poised to sign a new five-year deal at Old Trafford after making a telling impact since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020. However, some feel the 27-year-old has not quite reached his top form this season, albeit has netted nine times and provided 14 assists.
Others have noted his frequent remonstrating at teammates and officials when the tide is against United, including former Republic of Ireland international Tony Cascarino, who said Fernandes should not be offered a new deal. Speaking on talkSPORT, he explained: "It’s a very strange set of circumstances when you’re offering someone with three years to go on a contract a new five-year deal.
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"He was brilliant… in the opening game of the season when he played Leeds and got a hat-trick. You thought ‘wow this is going to be some season for United ’.”
He continued: “He frustrates me because he’s a talent but he’s always waving his arms around. It feels like he’s complaining and moaning about his team all the time during the game.”
Cascarino drew comparisons with former international teammate and United captain Roy Keane, who was known for his no-nonsense mentality. He noted the differences in how each player approached putting their colleagues in their place.
The 59-year-old added: “Don’t get me wrong Roy Keane did that, he’d be having a go at you, he wouldn’t be waving his arms around. But he’d have a go at you when you were playing.
"And I understand that - I wouldn’t be worried about if a teammate had a go at me but I’d get very annoyed when a player turns his back on the play and is waving their arms and getting embroiled in other problems while the game is going on. And he’s (Fernandes) been doing that.”
Cascarino added: “I don’t think they should be offering him a deal yet. If he gets to a stage where he’s playing to the Bruno Fernandes like he did when he first arrived at the club over the next year, I’d be saying yeah, new contract. Not now.”
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