Five targets who could replace Bruno Fernandes if Man United cash in on £100m man

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Bruno Fernandes’ future at Manchester United is uncertain and the club could look to cash in.

TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has been told that Man United have recently held talks with clubs in Saudi Arabia over a potential deal.

Bruno Fernandes appeared to have shut the door on a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League, declaring he was “never” likely to leave last summer, but the situation looks to have taken a fresh twist.

Speculation is continuing to build over a possible departure at the end of the season, and so, we have taken a look at five potential replacements for the United talisman.

Elliot Anderson

Elliot Anderson has been nothing short of a revelation since joining Nottingham Forest in a £30million deal from Newcastle United in 2024.

The 22-year-old now looks undroppable on the international stage with England and is a sure-fire bet to make Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, and he is also excelling at club level.

Sources have told TBR Football that Anderson is indeed on United’s radar, but they may face stiff competition from the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham.

Naturally, Forest have no plans to sell Anderson and have issued a hands-off warning, but United must ensure they are at the front of the queue in the event the situation changes.

Oscar Gloukh

Various reports have suggested that United view Ajax playmaker Oscar Gloukh as the ideal successor to Fernandes. Bursting with invention and energy, he certainly looks the part already.

The 21-year-old progressed through Maccabi Tel Aviv’s youth academy before signing a four-and-a-half-year deal with RB Salzburg in January 2023.

But after hitting the ground running in Austria and impressing in the Champions League, the youngster earned a move to Ajax in August 2025, declaring he had fulfilled a “dream”.

However, the Premier League surely awaits in the near future, and United cannot afford to miss out.

Pedro Goncalves

It was something of a shock when United didn’t look to sign Pedro Goncalves from Sporting CP.

The talented 27-year-old may be best remembered by some for his unsuccessful spell at Wolves as a teenager, when he returned to his native Portugal without playing a single game.

But he was given a new lease of life under Ruben Amorim in Lisbon and transformed into an attack-minded midfielder able to play out wide.

Goncalves was crucial in all three of Sporting’s Primeira Liga titles during Amorim’s stint, and scored 81 goals and registered 57 assists in 190 matches before the manager’s departure for Old Trafford.

He admitted he had even burst into tears when Amorim announced he was leaving for United, and this positive relationship would put the Red Devils in pole position in a potential transfer dogfight.

Oihan Sancet

Oihan Sancet is another midfielder who would provide United with the thrust they would be missing should Fernandes bid an emotional farewell at the end of the season.

He reportedly has a £70million release clause in his Athletic Bilbao contract, and both Arsenal and Newcastle have been recently tipped to swoop for him.

Sancet scored 15 goals in LaLiga last season and is already off the mark this time around, having netted in a 1-0 victory against Rayo Vallecano back in August.

He has spent the entirety of his senior career with Bilbao, and United may therefore be unable to prise him away from his boyhood club, but they would be foolish not to at least try.

Kobbie Mainoo

Yes, this is a bit of a cheat answer. However, it is inexplicable that Amorim is not handing Kobbie Mainoo more minutes, especially considering he is open to leaving the club.

As reported by TBR Football, Mainoo has been told to wait while United make a decision on his future beyond the January transfer window, but his game time has not taken a significant uptick.

The 20-year-old is capable of playing as a holding midfielder or as an advanced No 10, and the club must make use of his versatility before someone else does.

He is also another shining example of the academy production line at Old Trafford, and United, of course, take great pride in trusting in youth, no matter their age or experience.

It is time for Amorim to do the same with Mainoo.