Man Utd have identified Morgan Gibbs-White as a potential replacement for Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes, according to reports.
The Portugal international was in incredible form last season for Man Utd as he helped Michael Carrick’s side reach third place in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League.
But the Red Devils and Fernandes have been in poor form this term under Carrick with the Man Utd head coach under pressure to turn around results and performances.
Fernandes recently criticised Carrick and his coaching staff for the tactics deployed in a 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League, leading to the Man Utd boss dropping him for their next match against Bournemouth.
Carrick returned Fernandes to his starting XI for their defeat to Chelsea at the weekend before the Man Utd captain played a crucial role as the Red Devils beat Roma in their first win in ten matches on Wednesday, coming from two goals down to win 3-2.
After the match, Fernandes told Amazon Prime: “It’s been tough, there’s been a lot of speculation in the media.
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“A lot of lies around many things that have happened between me and the manager, that we have cleared the air, then after that the manager took the decision to put me on the bench because I’m not performing. That’s fair.
“Everyone thought that was a punishment for the words that I had. And, if it was, it was right. The manager is the one who makes the decisions.
“It doesn’t change the belief I have of the manager and the staff and every player in this club. It doesn’t change my aim to win every game that I have ahead of me.”
There have been rumours that Fernandes will now leave over the next couple of transfer windows with one report insisting that Man Utd will look to trigger an option in his deal, which expires in the summer, before selling him.
And now TEAMtalk have revealed that Man Utd ‘are continuing to monitor’ Nottingham Forest’s Gibbs-White, who is also a target for Tottenham, as they look for a long-term replacement for Fernandes.
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Despite Nottingham Forest understandly not keen to do business, TEAMtalk adds on interest from Man Utd: ‘Manchester United are another club to have entered the picture.
‘We can confirm that United have made enquiries as they assess Gibbs-White’s situation and consider their longer-term midfield and attacking options.
‘The interest is understandable given the uncertainty surrounding Bruno Fernandes’s long-term future at Old Trafford.
‘United are carrying out work on potential alternatives should Fernandes eventually move on, and Gibbs-White is a player whose performances and profile have attracted their attention.’
‘I think Bruno Fernandes has to play for Manchester United’ – Merson
Arsenal legend Paul Merson insists that Carrick needs Fernandes in his side to be successful after their win against Roma in the Champions League.
Merson said on Sky Sports: “I think Bruno Fernandes has to play for Manchester United. He’s their best player, and when you’re going through a difficult period, you need your best players on the pitch.
“It takes a lot to miss a penalty, then have the courage to step up and take it again. The pressure was severely on him, so fair play to him.
“I know he was left out against Roma, but I don’t think you can keep leaving him out. Even if he’s not playing particularly well, he still gets into Manchester United’s team. They haven’t got a player better than him.
“You couldn’t keep chopping your nose off to spite your face. You need him on side.
“Brian Clough always used to say that when times are hard, go back to putting your best team on the pitch. Put it in your drawer, and when things aren’t going well, go back to that team.
“That’s what United need to do. Bruno has to be in it. As long as he plays well, they will always have a chance of winning.
“But I still think they need to become much more of a 90-minute team. They were very good against Chelsea in the first half on Saturday, and they had good spells in the second half against Roma, but you aren’t going to win too many football matches playing like that.
“You need 70 or 75 minutes of good football, not 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there.”
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