Manchester United are unlikely to be tempted by the reported offers of £100m for club captain Bruno Fernandes this summer, former Red Devils defender Wes Brown has claimed.
The 19-time top-flight champions had a disastrous season in 2024-25, finishing 15th in the Premier League in a year where their arch-rivals Liverpool lifted the title, as well as losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
As they look to make changes this summer, Old Trafford's talisman, Fernandes, has been heavily linked with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League amidst United's much-reported financial troubles under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
However, fans have concerns that the team will be left worse off even with money in hand to spend on incomings to strengthen Ruben Amorim's squad, considering that the Portuguese midfielder has often been the only bright spark in an otherwise shockingly poor season.
Regardless of fans' divided opinions, Amorim will need reinforcements if his team are to make amends next term, though Brown suggested that selling Fernandes to fund them would not interest United, saying to Sports Mole: "I don't think we'll be tempted by that.
"In my eyes, you're getting rid of a really good player. Now, if you told me we've won the league and you did that - Sir Alex [Ferguson] did it with David Beckham, with [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy - it's a different situation, because you're still bringing in a quality player.
"I just can't see that happening, but there will be teams that obviously will try and take advantage of this season and what's happening."
United are certainly in a difficult position ahead of the transfer window, with the club in desperate need of funds but also knowing that it would be nearly impossible to replace their most productive player of the 2020s.
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Just how important is Fernandes to Manchester United?
The United captain offers more than simple goal contributions to Amorim's side, but with 19 goals and 18 assists across all competitions this season for the Red Devils, his influence is easy to see in the raw numbers.
Fernandes also ranked first above all other Premier League players for key passes, progressive passes and through balls in 2024-25, as well as second for shot creating actions and fifth for overall touches, highlighting his central role at Old Trafford.
Brown also declared the former Sporting Lisbon man to be United's standout star, and remarked that he holds significant value as a result when he told Sports Mole: "He's the main guy, he's the captain.
"Bruno's in the position [where] he's been by far the best player this year. He's in the position that can pull that sort of money if someone came after him."
United finished the league season 15th in the table, but with no guarantee of replacing Fernandes's contributions both in terms of output and buildup should he be sold, the club's future may hinge on getting their recruitment spot on, something that the regimes before Ratcliffe have struggled with for more than a decade.
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What is the club's position?
In a press conference following the Red Devils' 3-1 win over Hong Kong on Friday, Amorim publicly stated that he feels that Fernandes wishes to stay at United and that there are other ways for the club to make money.
However, reports have continued to swirl about the captain's agent visiting interested parties in Saudi Arabia, and there has since been talk of a potential falling out between the manager and the leadership at Old Trafford, who feel the need to raise funds for a rebuild.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' player of the season, Matheus Cunha, is expected to make the move to Manchester this summer in a deal worth more than £62m, and while he would help to alleviate the potential pain of Fernandes's departure, more incomings will be needed to bring silverware back to the club.
Wes Brown was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of BetVictor.
