Manchester United’s board may be delaying a deal to sign Bruno Fernandes this month because they may have to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before next season, Paul Merson has suggested. United have sought to agree a deal for Fernandes throughout the January transfer window but have failed to do so.
Sky Sports News have claimed United previously agree to pay £55million for Fernandes but then backed out and tried to renegotiate at around £42m.
They report that the Red Devils are now willing to pay up to £46m, although Sporting’s valuation still stands £9m higher than that, leaving talks at a standstill.
With the January transfer window closing at 11pm on Friday, United only have a short time to conclude an agreement to sign the midfielder.
The Sporting captain was in action last night as his side beat Maritimo 1-0 at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in a Primeira Liga clash.
And with United having been in discussions with Sporting for several weeks, Merson has suggested the delay may actually be because of concerns from United’s hierarchy amid their poor form.
They defeated Tranmere Rovers 6-0 to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the weekend but they have only won 17 of 34 matches across all competitions this season with questions being asked over whether Solskjaer is the right man for the job.
Writing in his Sky Sports column, Merson said: “Every fixture is a big one when you’re Manchester United – but especially in the position they’re in.
“It was a massive pressure game against Tranmere. Of course they’re expected to beat them but you just never know. They did a professional job. Fair play, lads.
“Now they go to one of the best club teams in the world and if it goes wrong, they could be on the end of four or five.
“Man City did them a favour in the first leg. They’re the only team I know who, when they’ve got you down, they keep you down.
“I worry for Solskjaer. I think he’s a sitting duck. I say that because I’m thinking about the Bruno Fernandes deal and what the people upstairs might be thinking.
“I think he does tick the boxes. They need an attacking midfielder, a forward, a defender… I’m not being disrespectful but they need quite a few players!
“They certainly haven’t got the player to put the ball through the eye of a needle.
“But will Solskjaer be there next season? It’s a difficult one.
“They need to strengthen in all areas. They’re a million miles behind. I watched them against Burnley and I felt uncomfortable. This is Manchester United. The fear factor is gone.
“I look at them when they play Liverpool and, now Marcus Rashford is injured, who would get into the opposition team?
“I’d give Harry Maguire half a chance to get into the Liverpool squad. Sorry, but I couldn’t make a case for anyone else.”
Transfer expert Duncan Castles, however, says the move has been delayed by the club’s owners – the Glazer family.
They are said to have doubts over vice-executive chairman Ed Woodward, who has overseen United’s transfer activity for the last seven years.
He told Reach PLC’s Transfer Window Podcast: “
Now the Glazers are asking questions about Woodward’s return on the pitch and in terms of which managers he puts in, where they spend the money for players.
“Previously Woodward had far more autonomy in this area. So I think what you’re seeing now with Solskjaer and this question of whether they change the manager or back him in the transfer window also broadens out to Woodward.
“Because he has a lot invested in Solskjaer because he has built and sold this strategy to the Glazers that, ‘This is the way forward. We can make ourselves competitive again by following a different recruitment strategy by using a manager who understands the club and progress will be made.’
“It’s self-evident progress isn’t being made despite what Solskjaer is telling us, press conference after press conference.
“It’s obvious there’s big problems here and I think the decision-making now we’re seeing at United is driven by the Glazers wanting to know and not wanting to send good money after bad and therefore you have the cardinal attempt at a transfer in this window, which has been for Bruno Fernandes.
“You have the talks between Woodward, Matt Judge, Sporting’s president Frederico Varandas, their sporting director Hugo Viana two weeks ago now.
“You have an agreement over the valuation of the player and an attempt to structure the deal which fails because players like Marcos Rojo refused to move to Sporting.
“Then you have a straight cash offer for the player and United saying, ‘We will not go above 50 million euros basic offer.’ In the background of this, the Glazers have to sign off on this deal.
“They’re not prepared to allow Woodward to sign a player at a certain fee at whatever he determines and deems to be good value. He has to make an argument to the Glazers that this is the correct price to pay and that he’s no longer overpaying for a particular player.
“Therefore you have it with one week to go of the window, no revolution on that deal and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer waiting to see if he’s going to get reinforcements in midfield when he badly needs them and reinforcement in attack.”