Man Utd’s future “£100m plus footballer” could steal the #8 from Fernandes

da luck： The last 12 months have been nothing short of a disaster for Manchester United, with the club falling way below the high standards it has set for itself in years prior.

da brwin： Ruben Amorim led the side to a measly 15th-place finish in 2024/25, with such a position their lowest since the Premier League’s formation way back in 1992.

Despite such a disappointing year last time around, the hierarchy maintained confidence in the 40-year-old to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

He was subsequently handed a £200m injection into the first-team squad by the board in an attempt to help transform the situation and catapult the side up the table.

However, one player who has so often produced the goods for the Red Devils has fallen way below his own high standards during the early stages of 2025/26.

Bruno Fernandes’ struggles in 2025/26 for United

Last season, Bruno Fernandes was undoubtedly United’s biggest threat within attacking areas, with his contributions saving the club in countless key moments.

The Portuguese international popped up with 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions, undoubtedly preventing the side from an even lower top-flight finish.

However, he was subject to interest from Saudi Arabia during the summer, but he rejected the eye-watering contract in favour of remaining in Manchester.

The 30-year-old has struggled to replicate such form in the last couple of weeks, with the club captain only registering two combined goals and assists in his first outings.

He’s also missed two spot kicks to date, one against Brentford and the other against Fulham – with both misses undoubtedly costing the Red Devils key points.

Amid the big spending in the final third, Fernandes has had to drop into a slightly deeper role, which will have no doubt restricted him from making the desired impact.

As a result, the 30-year-old could well find himself further down the pecking order in the years ahead, with one player potentially inheriting his current squad number.

The Man United player who could steal the #8 from Bruno

A new midfielder was on the agenda for United during the summer transfer window, but they struggled to identify the key fit needed to improve the squad.

Carlos Baleba was one player hugely touted with a switch to Old Trafford, but his £100m asking price saw the Red Devils withdraw from negotiations, subsequently unable to identify an alternative.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are just two players who still remain as options at Amorim’s disposal, but are seen by many as players not good enough to take the side back up the table.

However, another option currently on their books is Kobbie Mainoo, but the Englishman has struggled to make a huge impact since Amorim was appointed last November.

The academy graduate managed just 20 starts in the Premier League last campaign, often being selected behind the aforementioned duo and Fernandes.

However, such a decision may come as a surprise, with the youngster enjoying a phenomenal 2023/24 season, scoring in the FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City in his breakthrough season. It was during that term that he was labelled as a future “£100m-plus footballer” by United writer Alex Turk

This campaign has been just as tricky for the midfielder, making five league appearances – all of which were off the bench, and only featuring for a total of 113 minutes.

The “incredible” star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has previously managed to impress, even being compared to Declan Rice by FBref for his performances in the league last campaign.

Kobbie Mainoo – PL stats (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

25

Minutes played

1656

Pass accuracy

87%

Chances created

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

4.8

Stats via FotMob

He managed to outperform his compatriot in numerous key areas, further highlighting the talent he possesses when given the chance to star on a regular basis.

The Arsenal star cost a staggering £105m back in the summer of 2023, with such a fee being one of the highest in English history – but United could well have their own gem on their hands in Mainoo.

At just 20, he has bags of time to develop further and become a world-class talent, but he desperately needs the manager to put faith in him and give him the game time he needs.

With Bruno’s lack of impact as of late, the manager needs to give him an opportunity to stake his claim, with Mainoo having the tools to replace the Portuguese midfielder long term – subsequently taking his number in the process.