Bruno Fernandes rejects second Man Utd contract offer as Pochettino nears
United's captain has turned down improved terms over pay and length, The Athletic reported. His deal runs to 2027 and talks will go on.
Bruno Fernandes has turned down a second contract offer from Manchester United, The Athletic reported on Thursday, 12 November, and Sky Sports News confirmed it. It was one of the top searches in the UK, landing on the same day the club moved on from Michael Carrick, with Mauricio Pochettino set to take over.
What was rejected
United’s first offer was turned down in the summer. The club then came back with improved terms, and those were rejected too, over salary and the length of the deal, the reports said. Sky Sports News said talks between Fernandes and the club are expected to continue.
United’s preference is for their captain to stay, despite a poor run of form this season, according to The Athletic.
Where his contract stands
Fernandes’s current deal runs until June 2027. United hold an option to extend it by a year, which would stop him leaving for free next summer. But from January, he can talk to clubs outside England about a pre-contract agreement, which gives him some leverage in the talks.
He has turned down big money before. In 2025, reports said he rejected a huge offer from Saudi club Al Hilal to stay at Old Trafford.
Why the timing matters
We reported earlier this week on Pochettino reaching a verbal agreement to replace Carrick. A new manager usually wants to know which senior players he is building around, and Fernandes, who turned 32 in September, is the obvious one. If the contract drags on into the new year, it becomes Pochettino’s first big decision at the club.
