Under-fire Man Utd star told he ‘deserves to play in a better team’ | Football

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has named the one Manchester United player who should leave the club as ‘he deserves to play in a better team’.

It’s been an incredibly difficult campaign for United who are still finding their feet under Ruben Amorim, with just three wins from their last 11 games leaving them 14th in the Premier League table.

One of those victories was against Fulham, who they host on Sunday in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Few players have been reliable, with captain Bruno Fernandes among those whose form has rapidly fluctuated as he tries to adjust to Amorim’s tactics.

The attacking midfielder has recorded 10 goals and 13 assists across all competitions but has been continually criticised for his leadership skills, with three red cards in the first-half of the campaign not helping his case.

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Last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Everton highlighted the best and worst of Fernandes, with David Moyes praising the 30-year-old, while Alan Shearer was very critical of his performance.

Some have even gone so far to suggest that Fernandes ‘hates football’ under Amorim and Cole believes that both player and club would benefit if the Portugal International left Old Trafford.

‘I think there could be a natural separation for Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United,’ the three-time Premier League winner told Paddy Power.

‘He’s a brilliant footballer. He’s not a perfect footballer like Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes or Kevin De Bruyne but he’s a brilliant footballer who has been absolutely fantastic for Manchester United during the most difficult period the club has had in 40-odd years.

‘He can more than hold his head up with what he’s achieved in Manchester, but I think he deserves to play in a better team. It’ll be a nice separation point for the club, and it will benefit both.

‘United need players who will do things that don’t suit Bruno. They need to build a strong base around the club, and they might have to cash in on him and bring players in who have different attributes.’

Few United players are safe as INEOS try to rebuild the squad with Amorim, though as one of their more talented players it seems somewhat unlikely that Fernandes will be sold anytime soon.

It was only last August that he signed a new contract until 2027, with an option for a further year.

Former United captain Roy Keane has been among those to criticise Fernandes, labelling him an ‘imposter’ and ‘not a fighter’ in a scathing attack.

Amorim defended his skipper from Keane’s wrath, saying on Friday: ‘I heard about that. I have a different opinion.

‘Roy Keane has big standards from his time. I think my opinion is more important than Roy Keane because I am the coach.’

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