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Less than 12 months on from being courted by Saudi Pro League clubs, Bruno Fernandes is once again understood to be considering his Manchester United future.

The Red Devils captain was the subject of serious transfer interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia back in the summer. The Portugal international even made it clear he was "hurt" by the club hierarchy over what he perceived to be as them trying to sell him.

Interest in him is all but guaranteed again with his contract running until 2027, albeit with an option to extend those terms for a further year. And with Fernandes now 31, he knows he is now in line for his last major payday when it comes to contracts.

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Whispers of a lucrative transfer to the Middle East refuse to die down despite Fernandes deciding to stay at Old Trafford in the summer. Nobody seems to be willing to shut down talk of a move for good, though.

United's bosses were willing to cash in last summer and while that stance seems to have softened, it could take making him one of the club's best players on around £400,000-a-week to convince him to stay, as Mirror Football revealed on Monday.

The prospect of cashing in on Fernandes comes with the huge caveat that he remains, by some distance, the team's best player. And he's showing no signs of slowing down, either. Make no mistake, replacing a player of his immense quality would be a seismic challenge for whoever United choose to be their next permanent head coach or Carrick, if he continues to impress and retains the job beyond the end of the season.

Signing a player of Cole Palmer's quality, though, would help significantly soften the blow of Fernandes leaving if that does come to pass.

The Chelsea playmaker, who has grown into one of the Premier League's deadliest attacking midfielders, is said to be unsettled at Stamford Bridge and open to a return to the North West. The Sun claim the 23-year-old would even 'welcome' interest from United, who he supported in his youth.

A deal for Palmer would likely not come cheap given he is contracted until 2033. But there is the prospect that the club could fund such a move by sanctioning a large sale, such as Fernandes.

If he is ready to explore pastures new and big money is on the table, plus the prospect of securing a future-proof replacement in Palmer, then United's hierarchy would be mad not to at least consider it.

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