“When you spend so long in a place…”: United maestro’s latest comments will delight fans

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes will enter the final year of his contract this summer and is yet to sign a new deal. The Portuguese maestro was heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford last summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia. United were coming off a disappointing campaign and had offloaded several players who were deemed surplus to requirements. Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund were some of the names who were shown the door, and Fernandes’ future was also subject to speculation. There was tremendous interest from the Middle East, and the United skipper later revealed that he turned down lucrative deals in favour of an Old Trafford stay. The Red Devils will be glad that he did, because their Portuguese Magnifico has been outstanding this season. Old Trafford legend Fernandes has consistently been one of the best players in the Premier League since arriving at the Theatre of Dreams in January 2020. He has won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award a record-equalling four times so far, yet has managed to elevate his game to a higher level this season. While the Portuguese adapted admirably to a deeper role at the start of this season under former head coach Ruben Amorim, he has been exceptional since being reinstated in the No. 10 role under Michael Carrick. Despite investing over £200 million in attack last summer, the 31 year old very much remains United’s main man. This season, Fernandes has registered eight goals and 17 assists in 30 appearances across all competitions, 29 of which have been starts. Bruno Fernandes Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League28288163-2,438′ FA Cup11-1–90′ EFL Cup10—-45′ Total30298173-2,573′ Source: Transfermarkt. The Portuguese has created the most chances in the league, despite operating from a deeper role in the first half of the campaign. He has broken David Beckham’s Premier League assist record for United, and is closing in on the league record of 20 assists in a single season, currently held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. Understandably, the uncertainty surrounding Fernandes’ future continues to make fans uncomfortable. Previous reports have stated that the English giants are willing to do everything to ensure their mercurial skipper continues his stay at the Theatre of Dreams. However, a recent report suggests that not everyone at Old Trafford is convinced that the former Sporting ace deserves a new deal. Nevertheless, Fernandes has now shed light on his love for life in Manchester, which could be music to the ears of United fans. Feeling at home in Manchester Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Bruno hinted that he and his family are settled in Manchester. He said: “When you spend so long in a place, you kind of feel part of it, and obviously I’m very proud of my country, and I love to be there, but I feel at home in Manchester, and my kids feel at home here.” “It’s wonderful for me to be in a place where my kids enjoy so much and can feel so at home as they do in Manchester. I felt Mancunian, and then I heard my kids speaking in the accent, and I understood that I’m not as much as they are.” Fernandes is among the favourites to win the Premier League Player of the Season. His recent form suggests that he could also pick up a record-breaking fifth Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. Final Thoughts Fernandes has registered 106 goals and 103 assists in 320 games for United, and is already an Old Trafford legend. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, he remains the Red Devils’ most important player, and is someone who understands the club and its traditions very well. A renewal, as such, should be the English giants’ priority in the coming months. Featured image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.