Bruno Fernandes wants new contract for Paul Pogba before signing new deal
By Tom Gott
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is prepared to commit his future to the club, but only if Frenchman Paul Pogba does the same.
Fernandes still has four years remaining on his current deal, with the option of a fifth there too, but United are already keen to tie him down to a new contract which would reflect his emergence as one of the Premier League's elite with a pay rise towards the £200,000-a-week mark.
Despite United's determination, talks have been delayed until the end of the season as Fernandes wants to get a better idea of the big picture. It's not that he is unhappy at Old Trafford, but he wants to win trophies and wants to make sure United is the right place for him to do that.
According to The Sun, one of the things he wants to see is a new contract for midfield partner Pogba, whose deal will enter its final 12 months this summer.
Having already used their one-year extension clause, United must make a decision on Pogba's future this summer, and he is expected to be added to the transfer list if he refuses to ink fresh terms, with United adamant he will not leave the club for free next year.
The situation has left Fernandes a little concerned, although there is a growing sense of optimism surrounding Pogba's happiness at Old Trafford.
After agent Mino Raiola's bombshell about Pogba wanting to leave United in December, the Frenchman has re-established himself as an undisputed starter under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and while United are far from perfect on the pitch, there has been clear signs to suggest they are moving in the right direction.
Fernandes believes keeping Pogba is key to United's chances of closing the gap to Manchester City and fighting off competition from the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, both of whom are planning an assault on the Premier League title next season.
The Portuguese playmaker also has one eye on United's transfer plans this summer. The Red Devils are expected to spend big, with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde among their top targets.
That's exactly the kind of ambition Fernandes is looking for. He does not doubt United's determination to succeed, but at 26 years old and already under a long-term contract, he wants to make sure he does not limit his options.