Bruno Fernandes has once again postponed talks over a new Manchester United contract.
Fernandes, who dismissed negotiations over a new deal during the 2020/21 season, snubbed the offer of an extension in the summer, and although talks have continued in the first half of the current campaign, an agreement is yet to be reached.
Now, The Athletic state that there will likely not be any more developments between now and the end of the season as Fernandes has put all negotiations on hold until the summer, when he will have a better idea of the team’s ambitions and project.
A desire to see United compete for major silverware was behind Fernandes’ wish to delay talks last year. He was impressed with the signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane in the summer but did not want to rush into making any commitments without seeing results.
Not only have those signings not had the desired impact, they have also given Fernandes more reason to demand the pay rise he feels he deserves. The Portugal international earns a comparatively modest £100,000-per-week at Old Trafford, whereas some are on closer to £400,000-per-week and no fewer than ten players are believed to earn significantly more than Fernandes.
Fernandes believes he deserves to be paid like one of the team’s top performers and disappointment towards the salary on offer was part of the reason behind his rejection of a new deal earlier in the campaign.
There is no suggestion that either Fernandes or United are particularly worried about the situation. The 27-year-old is under contract until 2025, with the club holding the option to extend that by 12 months, so there is no rush from the club’s perspective.
As for Fernandes, he is prepared to wait until the end of the season to evaluate the landscape at Old Trafford. On top of reviewing his financial situation, he wants to see which manager United bring in and what their project is for both the short and long term.
Talks will resume again in the summer for a player that has scored the third most Premier League goals since his arrival – only Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane have more.