United face wage hierarchy call over Bruno Fernandes renewal
Manchester United’s talks over a new Bruno Fernandes contract remain unresolved, and Marcus Rashford’s return has made the salary question harder to navigate, according to The Peoples Person’s report of Fabrizio Romano’s update.
Fernandes’ deal runs to 2027, with United holding an option to extend it through 2028. That gives INEOS control over his immediate contract timeline, but it does not settle the longer-term question of how the club should reward its captain.
Salary is only one part of the negotiation
Romano says United are still speaking with Fernandes’ agent about a new deal, but no agreement has been reached. The primary report identifies the midfielder’s wage demands as a major reason for the delay, while stressing that the discussions also cover the length of any new contract and the release clause.
Rashford’s reported package is the complication: The Peoples Person puts his earnings at £390,000 per week including bonuses, citing Capology. The report says INEOS do not want to damage United’s wage structure, leaving the club to weigh the cost of meeting Fernandes’ demands against the pay benchmark already attached to Rashford’s reintegration.
The existing Fernandes release clause is reported as €65 million, equivalent in the source to approximately £55.1 million or $73 million. United are expected to seek its removal or a significant increase, meaning this is not simply a negotiation over the captain’s weekly salary.
A test of United’s wage hierarchy
The report says United had been expected to make Fernandes their highest-paid player. Rashford’s reported earnings have changed that calculation: offering the captain a deal that reflects his standing could push the club’s hierarchy into sharper focus, while holding back risks leaving a key contract unresolved.
That is a particular tension with Fernandes, the club captain and a Portugal international whose role makes the renewal more than a routine squad negotiation. The question for INEOS is not just whether the numbers can be agreed, but whether the package fits the club’s existing commitments without making the wage structure harder to defend across the dressing room.
The Peoples Person says Fernandes appears content at Old Trafford for now. But it also raises a conditional risk: another season of turmoil, coupled with a finish outside the Champions League places, could influence his decision. That is not a departure plan; it is a reminder that sporting progress and contract terms may both matter to the captain’s future.
Fernandes is part of a wider contract workload
United are also planning extension talks with Luke Shaw, whose deal ends next summer. The report says INEOS do not want to lose him on a free transfer, while the club is expected to trigger one-year options for Harry Amass and Lisandro Martinez.
Those cases underline the scale of the contract work facing United, but Fernandes remains the most prominent negotiation in the group. His deal combines salary demands with a release clause and a decision about commitment beyond the existing option year.
| Contract point | Reported position |
|---|---|
| Fernandes contract expiry | 2027 |
| United extension option | Through 2028 |
| Rashford pay | £390,000 per week including bonuses |
| Fernandes release clause | €65m; approximately £55.1m or $73m |
| New Fernandes deal | No agreement reported |
United still have time, but decisions remain
Romano’s reported assessment is that, on 6 October, there are still several months for United to resolve the situation. Salary, contract length and the release clause remain outstanding, while the club can trigger its option through 2028 if a long-term agreement is not reached.
That option protects United from losing Fernandes for nothing in 2027, but it is not a substitute for settling his future. The captain’s position remains open, with the club’s season and Champions League prospects potentially adding weight to a negotiation already complicated by Rashford’s salary.
