‘Weary’ Bruno to succumb to Saudi pressure as Man Utd target 20-yo star who ‘entertains’ Zidane

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is being increasingly linked to leave the club, while Kenan Yildiz has emerged as a potential heir.

The Portuguese playmaker has arguably been the Red Devils’ most influential player since his arrival in January 2020. However, he is said to be growing increasingly resentful of the situation at the club, especially following the sacking of his compatriot, Ruben Amorim .

The 31-year-old has repeatedly been asked to shoulder the load, often operating amid teammates widely viewed as falling short of the required standard. Therefore, the situation is finally coming to a head.

Over the past few days, reports from England and Spain have been claiming that Bruno is planning to leave in the summer.

Last year, Fernandes turned down a lucrative offer from Al-Hilal , citing family and sporting reasons. At the time, the Saudi giants were willing to shower the playmaker with cash, offering him a three-year contract worth €200,000 in total.

(Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

But according to Calciomercato.it , Al-Hilal, along with their local rivals, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad, will resume their attempts to lure the Man Utd skipper to the Middle East.

The Saudi Pro League trio are more confident about their chances this time, especially with United undergoing another tumultuous campaign, while the identity of the next permanent manager remains anyone’s guess.

Michael Carrick is expected to replace Darren Fletcher in the interim role, but the future remains shrouded in mystery.

On a related note, the Italian portal reveals that Man Utd have identified Yildiz as the ideal profile to fill in for Fernandes.

The 20-year-old is considered one of the best young players in the world. He is already the biggest attraction at Juventus, who are determined to lock him down with a new and improved contract. Nevertheless, the Turkish international could be swayed by the Premier League.

However, Man Utd aren’t his only suitor on the England shores, as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool have been keeping tabs on the young man who has already won the heart of the legendary Zinedine Zidane.

“Yildiz is doing great. He entertains me,” said the Juventus, Real Madrid, and France icon in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport last October.

“Whenever he touches the ball, you can see he enjoys the game. He’s got goals in his feet and a great shot. If I met him, I’d tell him to stay on this track.”

While Fernandes is a midfielder who can play either as an attacking midfielder or in a deeper role, Yildiz is considered an attacker, blessed with incredible dribbling skills and shooting accuracy.

So while the Turkiye star wouldn’t be a like-for-like replacement, he can inherit the No.10 role from Bruno in the 4-2-3-1 formation, although he’s been mostly fielded as a left winger since joining Juve’s senior squad.