Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho have cast doubt on their Manchester United futures following the Europa League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur with both leaving the door open for potential moves this summer.
Head coach Ruben Amorim has been firm in his stance that he wants to keep Fernandes, who signed a new long term contract in August.
But after missing out on £100 million ($133m) of possible Champions League revenue with defeat to Spurs in Bilbao, the Portugal midfielder said he will leave if the club decide they want to “cash in” on one of their biggest assets.
Fernandes, 30, has been linked with a mega-money move to Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.
“I’ve always said I will be here until the club says to me that it’s time to go,” Fernandes said after the match. “I’m eager to do more, to be able to bring the club to the great days.
“On 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. Football sometimes is like this.”
Fernandes was not alone in suggesting he could leave United in the wake of the Europa League final defeat.
Garnacho also hinted that he could move after being restricted to a late substitute appearance at Estadio de San Mamés.
Sources have told ESPN that the 20-year-old was the subject of a bid from Napoli in January.
There has also been interest from Chelsea and a summer deal for the Argentinian could appeal to United. As an academy graduate, any fee generated by his departure would be banked as pure profit.
“Obviously it’s hard for everyone after this season which was s—; both for losing the final and because we didn’t beat anyone in the league,” Garnacho said. “It’s the truth. It’s very hard. We’re going to try to finish the season and see what happens next.
“There were a lot of things missing. When you don’t score goals you always need more things. I’ve played all the rounds until the final, I’ve helped the team… And to play only 20 minutes today… I don’t know.
“I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next season.
“The game has an influence but so does the season. The situation of the club… But I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.”
Defeat to Tottenham has increased scrutiny on Amorim’s position.
The 40-year-old said he will walk away without compensation if the board decides he is no longer the right man for the job, although he stressed that he will not quit.
Fernandes, however, urged the club to keep faith with the former Sporting CP boss, who only took over at Old Trafford in November.
“He has done a lot of good things,” Fernandes said. “We know that the manager is looked at by the results. Obviously we see more than that as players.
“It’s not my decision but I do think the manager is the right one and I don’t think that it will be a better person to come into the job and do the job.
“I know it’s difficult to understand that, it’s difficult to see that. But I still do think that he’s the right man to lead the club.
“I do think that the club is in a situation where it’s easier to get a different one in because the results haven’t been there. But as my other teammates said, and I repeat myself, I do think he’s the right man.”
>
