Man Utd Ready to Bid £84m for ‘Astonishing’ Bruno Fernandes Replacement

Man Utd Ready to Bid £84m for ‘Astonishing’ Bruno Fernandes Replacement

Under new manager Ruben Amorim, Manchester United has named Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez one of their main objectives.

According to Fichajes, the Red Devils see Lopez as a possible long-term successor for Bruno Fernandes.

Last season, Lopez had a fantastic breakthrough season for Barcelona, scoring eight goals in just 14 La Liga appearances.

United is reportedly willing to make an offer of €100 million (£84 million) for the 21-year-old playmaker as a result of this and a strong start to the season.

Given that Fernandes turns 30 in September, the English team is eager to find a replacement as soon as possible, and they think Lopez is the ideal candidate for the position.

However, contracted until 2029, the creative midfielder also has a €500 million release clause, so luring him away from Catalonia will certainly not be an easy task for United.

United Eyeing £84m Lopez
It’ll be a difficult move to pull off
Fermin Lopez celebrates
Spending a season on loan at Spanish third division side Linares during the 2022/23 campaign, where he scored 12 goals, Lopez returned to Barcelona last summer looking to make his breakthrough into the first team at the Nou Camp.

Excelling in pre-season, Xavi, the club’s manager at the time, gave the youngster plenty of opportunities which he emphatically took, thriving as an advanced midfielder.

Establishing himself as a core part of the Catalan giants’ team and described as ‘astonishing’, new boss Hansi Flick has been slightly more reticent to use Lopez, starting him in just two La Liga games so far this term.

As a result, the promise of regular football at Old Trafford, and being the ultimate heir to Fernandes’ throne, could attract the Spaniard to a switch to Manchester.

Fichajes report that, with Amorim’s blessing, United will make a blockbuster £84 million offer for Lopez.

Given United reportedly made a £25 million offer for the starlet in June, and given his relative inexperience, stumping up a fee of this magnitude would certainly represent a staggering proposal, which may ultimately prove too difficult for Barcelona to reject.

However, Fichajes suggest that the move is not simply about securing a replacement for Fernandes, but also about consolidating a long-term project that will allow United to compete at the highest level in Europe again.