Manchester United will start 2026 without star player Bruno Fernandes, who suffered a muscular injury in Sunday’s game against Aston Villa. He was substituted at half-time but reports suggest the United captain could be out for at least a month with a suspected soft tissue injury.
After the final whistle at Villa Park, manager Ruben Amorim said: “I think it’s a soft tissue injury so it’s going to take some time. He’s always been a good player so I hope he recovers well. We’ll see how it goes. Injury. But sometimes bad luck and other things happen at the same time. You can never control these things. We have to find a solution and we can’t make any excuses. We have to prepare all the players for the next game.” game.
“No one will remember these problems. So let’s deal with it. It’s what makes us stronger.”
The timing of Fernandes’ injury comes just days before the opening of the January transfer window, prompting calls at Old Trafford to prioritize signing a new midfielder.
However, Amorim warned that the club must avoid mistakes in the upcoming transfer window.
“We need to deal with it. What we can’t do is go into January and try to do everything with a sense of urgency and then make another mistake and say, ‘Here we go again.’
“I’m not going to go to Jason (Wilcox) and say we need a lot of players. If we have to suffer, the club comes first. Of course we’re in a period where we need points, but we’re going to continue with our plan. At the moment it may feel like we’re going to struggle, but we’ll see.”
It remains to be seen how Fernandes’ injury setback will affect United’s transfer strategy. Signing a new midfielder was already at the top of the priority list, with doubts remaining over Coby Mainu and Casemiro, but the latest developments have made the situation even more urgent.
Encouragingly, United have a chance to sign Fernandes’ replacement now and address their midfield concerns early in the transfer window.
Ruben Neves is a name that has been repeatedly floated as a potential target for United, dating back to his time at Wolves.
The 28-year-old, currently at Al Hilal, is expected to return to the Premier League after turning down new terms in Saudi Arabia.
The Times reported that Al Hilal accepted losing him on a free transfer in the summer and were prepared to sell him in January to recoup some of the £47m they spent on him in 2023.
The Portugal international is valued at an estimated £18m, but it is thought the club could secure his services for significantly less than that, potentially offering United a steal for 2026.
During his time at Wolves, Neves established himself as a reliable midfielder in the Premier League, making a name for himself with his spectacular long-range goals.
United have brought in high-profile players such as Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleva with price tags close to £100m, so they will need to look for more affordable alternatives in this transfer window.
Neves could be available for just £10m and could be the ideal January signing.
