Ruben Amorim has made it clear in a meeting with Bruno Fernandes: ‘You’re going nowhere!’ The Manchester United talisman was linked with Real Madrid at the weekend off the back of an incredible run of form for the Red Devils. Before the international break, the United captain contributed seven goals and four assists in nine games across the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup.

Real Madrid are said to be among the clubs eyeing up a move for the 30-year-old playmaker who is one of the very best in the world in his position. It has been claimed that Los Blancos believe they could snap the Portugal international up as a long-term successor to Luka Modric, 39, at the price of around £90million. But Amorim has absolutely zero plans to sell his £300,000-a-week skipper who only signed a new contract at United in August 2024.

That deal ties him down until the summer of 2027 while the club have the option to extend that agreement by another 12 months. And Amorim has revealed he’s held face-to-face discussions over Fernandes’ future with the United No.8 and says his compatriot is not for sale. He explained: “No, it’s not going to happen. He’s not going anywhere because I’ve already told him!

“I want Bruno here because we want to win the Premier League again, so we want the best players to continue with us. He’s 30, but he’s still so young, because he plays 55 games every season. Between assists and goals, he’s there for 30 at least.”

Amorim insists Fernandes is the perfect example of player he wants to build around at United: “So he’s the type of player we want here and he’s not going anywhere. We’re in control of the situation and I feel that he’s really happy here.

“Especially because he understands what we want to do and I also think he’s one more supporter of United. He really feels it. Sometimes the frustration that you see, that everybody sees and maybe says is not a good thing in a captain, is a sign that he wants this so bad. This is the kind of player we want.”

Speaking after his Europa League hat-trick against Real Sociedad, Fernandes revealed he could have left United last summer: “I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave. We talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying.

“They said what they wanted from me. I just asked if they still see me as part of the future of the club or not. I spoke at the time with (Erik) Ten Hag also.

“He was very clear with me – the club was very clear with me – that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild. I thought that we could be successful.”