It wasn’t a vintage Premier League season, but the incredible performances of Bruno Fernandes were certainly a highlight. The Portuguese ace sits in a class of his own, with an assist on the final day of the season giving him the outright Premier League record.
Fernandes is in the form of his life, and will be hoping to guide United to silverware next season. They’ve already been mooted as outsiders for the Premier League title, with Michael Carrick having been given the job on a full-time basis.
Reinforcements are expected in the summer, as United look to prepare their squad to battle on multiple fronts, having only played 40 matches across all competitions this season. Early exits from both domestic competitions meant the Red Devils had plenty of free mid-weeks – something that is about to change next season.
However, United will also need to reinforce because they’ve waved goodbye to one of their key players, with Casemiro allowed to leave the club this summer. Despite struggling under Ruben Amorim, the Brazil international bounced back and was in stellar form across the second half of the season.
Since the start of February, Casemiro netted five times in the league for United, while overall, he finished the season with nine goals to his name. Unsurprisingly, the majority of those were assisted by Fernandes, posing an issue that could prove a problem for United next season.
That’s because Fernandes and Casemiro proved the deadliest link-up in the Premier League this season, with no player assisting the other more than these two. It was a profitable combination for the 20-time champions and something that Carrick will most likely need to address.
United have already made steps to replace Casemiro, with Ederson on the verge of joining the three-time European champions. At 26 years old, the Atalanta ace does have his best years ahead of him and can play in several different midfield positions.
It’s expected United will sign the Brazil international for an initial £35million, with an extra £3m in add-ons. The low fee is in part due to Ederson having just one year left on his contract with the Serie A outfit.
Across all competitions for Atalanta this season, Ederson netted three goals and provided a further two assists. He already boasts Champions League experience and is expected to become Carrick’s first permanent signing as boss.