Rene Meulensteen claims Bruno Fernandes is 'mentally damaged' by Manchester United negativity and urges Mauricio Pochettino to let him leave

Former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen has urged incoming boss Mauricio Pochettino to part ways with club captain Bruno Fernandes. The Dutch coach believes years of relentless negativity around Old Trafford have taken a heavy mental toll on the 32-year-old playmaker.

Meulensteen advised the Argentine to "move on" the Portuguese midfielder after Pochettino penned a two-and-a-half-year contract to succeed Michael Carrick. Dismissed on November 12 less than six months into his permanent reign, Carrick paid the price for a dismal start that followed an underwhelming summer transfer window. The incoming manager may now look toward the January market to address glaring gaps across his inherited squad.

Despite winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year award last season following a stellar second half of the campaign under Carrick, the skipper has struggled to replicate that influence consistently this term.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Meulensteen explained why a clean break could benefit all parties: "In terms of Bruno, Bruno has been a fantastic servant for Manchester United over many, many years. He's not hit the same levels this year round. I think he's also been, to some extent, maybe even mentally damaged by all the negativity that has surrounded the club and himself.

"To be fairly honest, I think he's been a great servant, but I would not be too sad if he decided to leave the club. I think there's many more people, more players that I think need to move on, and we need to create a different kind of dynamism in the team."

Even amid criticism of his overall displays, the midfielder has remained his side's primary creative outlet during the 2026-27 campaign, recording four goals and two assists across his opening nine Premier League appearances - highlighted by a hat-trick in a 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town - alongside crucial goals and assists against Sabah FK and Roma in the Champions League.

However, those contributions have failed to prevent the Red Devils' worst league start in 40 years, with a solitary win from 10 top-flight fixtures leaving them 18th in the relegation zone alongside an early Carabao Cup exit and a heavy 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como. Meanwhile, The Athletic reports that the playmaker recently rejected a second renewal offer, leaving his current deal to expire at the end of the season.

Although Fernandes can negotiate a pre-contract with overseas clubs from January, United hold an option to extend his stay until 2028 while eyeing Como talent Nico Paz as a potential successor. Pochettino will first oversee the United States' two matches against Haiti before beginning work in Manchester with minimal preparation time. His reign kicks off with a daunting Premier League trip to fierce rivals Liverpool on November 22.