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‘They wanted me to leave’: Fernandes hits out at Manchester United directors

  • Midfielder has been subject of interest from Saudi Arabia

  • ‘Loyalty is no longer seen the way it used to be’

Bruno Fernandes has claimed that Manchester United directors “hurt” him by wanting to sell him, and has criticised teammates “who don’t value the club” as he does.

Fernandes has been the subject of transfer interest over the past two summers. In the more recent window the Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal offered United £100m and the player a £700,000-a-week salary.

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© Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

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Ruben Amorim backs Manchester United defenders after Old Trafford thriller

  • ‘We have talent at the back,’ says head coach

  • United took lead three times in draw with Bournemouth

Ruben Amorim insisted he does not need to strengthen Manchester United’s defence despite ­conceding four goals in a frantic draw with Bournemouth.

A breathtaking contest had United take the lead three times and featured three late second-half goals from minutes 77 to 84 starting with Bruno Fernandes’s free-kick. This made it 3-3 after United first went ahead just before the quarter-hour through Amad Diallo.

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© Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

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Manchester United and Bournemouth share thrills and spills in eight-goal extravaganza

From near-total control to collapse to late Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha goals that seemed to put Manchester United on the right end of a 4-3 festive thriller. But then, yet more horrific defending allowed Eli Junior Kroupi, on as a substitute, to score Bournemouth’s third equaliser and the points were shared.

Fernandes’s strike was a pinpoint curled free-kick and Cunha’s finish came 120 seconds later when Benjamin Sesko’s cross from the left hit Adrien Truffert and diverted into the Brazilian’s path.

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© Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images

© Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images

© Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images

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Manchester United will not listen to offers for Kobbie Mainoo in January

  • England midfielder yet to start a Premier League game this season

  • United hierarchy do not want to lose 20-year-old academy graduate

Manchester United intend to reject any bids to buy Kobbie Mainoo in January because the hierarchy believe the midfielder could have a bright future at the club.

Ruben Amorim is open to the 20-year-old going on loan after not naming him in a Premier League starting XI all season. The view within the hierarchy is that Mainoo’s youth and potential mean his ceiling remains high and that he could convince Amorim – or a future United head coach – he is worth a regular place.

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© Photograph: Zohaib Alam/MUFC/Manchester United/Getty Images

© Photograph: Zohaib Alam/MUFC/Manchester United/Getty Images

© Photograph: Zohaib Alam/MUFC/Manchester United/Getty Images

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Ruben Amorim would be ‘really pleased’ if Kobbie Mainoo considers loan move

  • ‘I will be pleased … I just want my players happy’

  • United host Bournemouth in league on Monday

Ruben Amorim has said he would be “really pleased” if Kobbie Mainoo decided to speak to him about a loan move away from Manchester United.

Amorim has not started Mainoo in any of United’s 15 Premier League games, with the midfielder’s only start coming in the Carabao Cup defeat at Grimsby. In light of that, Amorim was asked in the buildup to Monday’s visit of Bournemouth if the 20-year-old had spoken to him regarding a temporary move.

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© Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

© Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

© Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

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Amorim unsure if Manchester United’s Afcon-bound trio can face Bournemouth

  • Head coach due to learn about availability on Saturday

  • Mbeumo, Diallo and Mazraoui called up for tournament

Ruben Amorim still does not know whether Amad Diallo, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui will be available for Manchester United’s game at home to Bournemouth on Monday after they were called up for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Monday is the mandatory date set by Fifa for clubs to release players for the tournament, which starts in Morocco on 21 December. Diallo, Mbeumo and Mazraoui have been called up by Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Morocco respectively. Fifa has said it will mediate between clubs and national teams if there is a dispute.

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© Photograph: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock

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Manchester United’s first-quarter profits rise to £13m but debt reaches £1.29bn

  • Operating profit up after £7m loss a year earlier

  • United’s revolving credit up from £35.7m to £268m

Manchester United’s operating profit rose to £13m in the financial year’s first quarter, compared with an equivalent £7m loss 12 months earlier, and the chief executive, Omar Berrada, said this was down to “the difficult decisions made in the past year” by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

However, United’s total debt has now risen to a record high of £1.29bn. United’s revenue was £140.3m, down from £143.1m 12 months previously, and the club’s revolving credit rose £35.7m to £268m, with noncurrent borrowings remaining at £650m.

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© Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

© Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

© Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA

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