Analysis: United make statement with Fernandes contract
- Published
Simon Stone, BBC Sport
Amid a period of turmoil at Old Trafford, Manchester United see this move as a pointer towards what they hope will be a brighter future.
Fernandes changed United's fortunes immediately after his arrival in 2020 and while some critics complain about his use of the ball, he remains one of their most potent weapons and has an instinctive desire to attack, which was not always present before his signing from Sporting Lisbon.
It is also a statement around the type of player United want to build their squad around.
This deal will catapult Fernandes into the club's top earners - not at the Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane or David de Gea level, which is in excess of £350,000 a week, but the next tier down, which includes Marcus Rashford.
The key for United now is to ensure the players Fernandes has around him are not only of the same level ability-wise, but actually complement him.
