The player Bruno Fernandes may have inadvertently blocked Manchester United from signing could be available for a dirt-cheap fee this summer.
Fernandes joined from Sporting for a fee of £47 million in 2020 and has been an ever-present in the United side, making 318 appearances and scoring 105 goals.
The Portuguese has been the first name on the teamsheet for a plethora of different United managers and there is an argument to say he is currently the best player in the Premier League, where is the leading assister with 14 this season.
The 31-year-old's importance to United cannot be overstated and his presence led to United walking away from a pursuit from a player who was previously attainable.
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In the summer of 2023 United bought Mason Mount from Chelsea for £60 million but they were also heavily linked with fellow England colleagues Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and James Maddison.
All three stars moved onto pastures new, with Maddison signing for Spurs for a fee of £40 million after Leicester were relegated to the Championship. However, in an a report for the Manchester Evening News, Samuel Luckhurst wrote that United felt he was too similar to their talisman Fernandes.
"James Maddison, one of Mount's peers, has been the best player in the Premier League this season, Declan Rice has been one of the best and Jude Bellingham is the best in the world. United did not go near any of those England midfielders," Luckhurst wrote.
"Bellingham had his heart set on Real Madrid but Rice or Maddison were attainable.
"Senior United sources say Maddison was too identical to Bruno Fernandes. Mount started the majority of his Chelsea career in the attacking midfield role Fernandes regularly occupies for United."
Maddison has played 75 times for Spurs, scoring 12 goals. After suffering an ACL injury in pre-season, Maddison is yet to feature for the Europa League winners and his absence has been sorely felt.
Spurs are just one point above the relegation zone after a dire run of form under sacked former manager Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, who has lost his first three games at the helm.
If Spurs do the unthinkable be relegated to the second tier for the first time in the Premier League era, the chances of Maddison moving on would improve considerably.
He would likely be one of many stars who would be available for transfer for a much lower than his market value.
Topics: Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes
Josh Lawless