Man Utd: Fernandes exit could spark interest in £42m-rated Premier League star
Man Utd are keeping close tabs on midfield reinforcements this summer as interest intensifies around captain Bruno Fernandes, with one standout Premier League performer valued at £42m linked.
Fernandes, who has contributed an extraordinary 17 goals and 15 assists across all competitions this season, is attracting serious attention from the Saudi Pro League, with Al-Hilal reportedly preparing to meet his release clause to tempt him away from Old Trafford.
While Man Utd are under no immediate pressure to sell, the club will no doubt be planning for a scenario which sees Fernandes tempted by a lucrative exit.
At 30, and with his influence still at its peak, he has emerged as the top priority for the reigning Saudi champions, who are prepared to make him one of the highest-paid players in world football.
United, meanwhile, are already bracing for change in midfield. Christian Eriksen is expected to leave when his contract expires, while Casemiro, now 32 and entering the final year of his deal, has also been linked with a move to the Middle East.
That leaves plenty of uncertainty over the midfield core, and the club have now drawn up a shortlist of potential successors, including one Premier League player whose form has allegedly attracted growing admiration at Carrington.
According to a report quoted on GiveMeSport, Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans is one of two names under serious consideration, alongside Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes.
Villa are believed to value the Belgian international at around £42m million, despite signing him on a free from Leicester City just last summer.
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Tielemans has been a standout performer under Unai Emery this season, contributing five goals and 10 assists across 52 appearances in all competitions, including five goal involvements in the Champions League.
At 28, he is seen as entering his prime and brings a blend of top-level experience and Premier League consistency that could make him an ideal fit in a United midfield undergoing transition.
Villa, who are pushing for back-to-back European qualification campaigns, are under some pressure to sell players this summer to comply with PSR, but it’s understood Tielemans is a player they hope to keep.
While Tielemans lacks the explosive attacking output of Fernandes, he is viewed as a capable link man and ball-progressor, with the ability to dictate tempo and maintain structure.
Utd may still need to invest in a more attack-minded player to replace Fernandes’ end product, but Tielemans could offer a valuable midfield foundation.
The Belgian international, who has 75 caps and nine goals for his country, is under contract at Villa Park until 2027.
His stock has risen significantly over the past 12 months, and a move to Old Trafford would represent a major step in his re-emergence as one of Europe’s most consistent midfielders.
Whether Utd make their interest concrete could depend on developments in Saudi Arabia.
