Man United have 'serious concerns' about Bruno Fernandes amid contract twist

Manchester United have serious concerns about Bruno Fernandes' performances in Michael Carrick's side so far this season.

The 32-year-old has endured a poor spell in recent games, culminating with a frustrating performance against Spurs in which he didn't complete a single pass until the 23rd minute.

Carrick recently admitted that no player is "undroppable", hinting he may be forced to make a decision about the Portugal international's role if his below-par displays continue.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Fernandes' performances are becoming a cocnern given how much they rely on his creative output.

Last season the attacking midfielder set a new Premier League assist record with 21, but has provided just one in his first six games and his radar has been off.

While the concerns are not expected to be long-term, with hopes that Fernandes can turn around his form quickly, continued struggles could raise red flags.

Why are Man United concerned about Bruno Fernandes?

Brown told Football Insider in August that Fernandes was set to play a crucial role in Man United's plans for the coming season after his stellar campaign last term.

As a result, his failure to get going so far this season has been flagged as a major concern for Carrick's side, and may be a contributing factor to their struggles so far.

Man United have won just one of their opening six games, in which Fernandes scored a hattrick against Ipswich, and concerns are growing at Old Trafford.

"There are a lot of problems in this Man United team, everywhere you look there's a concern," Brown told Football Insider.

"The defense has obviously been spoken about, but even going forward they don't look positive enough, and a lot of that is down to the fact Bruno Fernandes has dropped off.

"They'll have serious concerns about his performances, because he has been way short of expectations, and he showed that again against Tottenham.

"I saw after the game he didn't complete a pass until after the 20th minute, now how can that happen as a midfielder in a team like Man United?

"And it's not the first performance this season where he hasn't made an impact, that's no coincidence when you think how poor they've been that he also has been below par.

"If Bruno Fernandes is performing, he normally gets the best out of the other players in the side, so when he's off the boil it becomes a major problem for Michael Carrick.

"They need him to step up his performances, and I'm sure he will because he hasn't become a bad player overnight. It's just a poor run, but in the meantime it's not good enough."

What is the latest on Fernandes' contract situation?

Fernandes' poor start to the new season has come against a backdrop of speculation surrounding his future at the club, with his contract set to expire next summer.

The Portugal international has long been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, and there are likely to be a number of clubs keen to lure him away on a free transfer.

However, Football Insider revealed last month that Man United are hopeful of extending Fernandes' stay while the midfielder is also keen to renew his terms.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey are believed to be keeping a close eye on his situation, but there are no plans for United to allow him to leave come the end of the season.

His performances this season have raised concerns at Old Trafford, but are not expected to be a major issue, with all parties keen to keep him at the club long-term.