Manchester United are currently in negotiations with Bruno Fernandes over a new contract, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.
What did Romano say about Fernandes' contract situation?
The midfielder only joined United 18 months ago, and still has four years left on his current deal at the club. However, after making a very positive impression so far, having delivered 44 goal contributions in 51 top-flight appearances, Fernandes is set to be offered a contract extension by the Red Devils.
Romano told The Here We Go Podcast that he expects there to be an update on Fernandes' future at some point this month.
He said: “Bruno is one of the biggest stars of the Premier League, not just with Manchester United, and they are talking with Bruno about a new contract, with his agents too. Also in this case, I think this month we will have some answers about how the negotiation is going.
“But, of course, they want to extend Bruno’s contract, and they want to reward Bruno with a new contract.”
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How much does Fernandes currently earn at United?
According to Spotrac, the 26-year-old is currently on £180,000-per-week at Old Trafford, making him the sixth-highest paid player at the club.
This could be about to change soon, though, as it seems likely that a new contract would see Fernandes receive a pay rise, which could see him jump ahead of some of his teammates in terms of the wage packet that he takes home each week.
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How did Fernandes perform at Euro 2020?
Fernandes may have had a stunning year at United last season, when he racked up 18 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League, but it is fair to say that Euro 2020 did not go to plan for the creative midfielder.
He started both of Portugal's opening two matches, yet struggled to make a significant impact, and was dropped for their final group game and their last 16 clash with Belgium.
Portugal were knocked out by Roberto Martinez's men, and Fernandes exited the tournament without registering a single goal involvement.
However, it seems that United remain convinced by his talent despite this dip in form, and are still going to push ahead with trying to get Fernandes to sign a new contract in the coming weeks.
Is this smart business from United?
Some may wonder why United want to tie Fernandes down to a new deal when he still has plenty of time left on his current contract.
However, it does seem to be smart business from United considering they are on the verge of signing another high-profile player in Jadon Sancho, who is set to earn £350,000-per-week.
If Fernandes were to stay on his current salary, then he would be a long way behind the likes of Sancho when it comes to pay, which could lead to problems in the future.
However, United seem to have spotted this potential issue early, and are now moving to offer Fernandes a new contract to show him that they value him highly and that he is a big part of their plans moving forwards.