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Revealed: Bruno Fernandes’ target for Manchester United at the end of the season

Originally posted on We All Follow United
By Rohit Sarkar | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 9:27 AM ET

Bruno Fernandes believes that Manchester United can end in a UEFA Champions League spot by the end of the 2025/26 season

Manchester United’s season has started under a cloud of mixed emotions. The team have displayed moments of doubt in their performances, with some flashes of positive football as well. The club still searches for control under Ruben Amorim. The first few weeks brought four defeats that raised questions about his methods.

Yet the 2–0 win over Sunderland before the international break gave the players some relief. That result lifted the mood around Old Trafford and pushed the Red Devils into tenth. They now sit three points off the top five and within reach of Manchester City.

Amid this cautious optimism, the Manchester Evening News reported that Bruno Fernandes privately believes United can still qualify for the Champions League. His belief, kept behind closed doors, shows a captain who refuses to give up on ambition.

He remains determined even after the team’s drop to fifteenth last season. Fernandes plays a vital role in Amorim’s plans. He operates as an advanced playmaker in a system that aims to control games through energy and precision.

The Portuguese star has scored two goals in seven games but has not provided an assist. That contrasts clearly with his ten assists last season. The 31-year-old maintains consistent passing accuracy but has not influenced games as much.

Still, his leadership lifts the dressing room’s morale, and BBC Sport sources say he fully supports Amorim’s project. The absence of European football could even help Amorim, as it gives him more time to prepare the team for league matches.

Meanwhile, United continue their transfer talks. Everton and West Ham United have reportedly entered the race for Joshua Zirkzee, a young forward who has struggled to find game time under Amorim so far this season. In another update, Bayern Munich have identified Mike Maignan, a United target, as Manuel Neuer’s replacement.

That move makes United’s search for a proven goalkeeper alongside Senne Lammens even tougher. The club know they need a dependable option between the posts if they hope to close the gap on the top five.

The belief and the burden ahead

United will hope to finish in the top five, though that target looks ambitious with the current odds. Data from Opta’s supercomputer show they have just over a four per cent chance of qualifying for the Champions League. Their chances of relegation stand near eleven per cent.

To change that, Amorim must adjust several areas of his system. Critics have argued that his 3–4–3 formation lacks creativity against defensive teams, so he needs to introduce more tactical flexibility.

United’s wing-backs and central defenders take on too much responsibility during transitions, while Ruben Amorim has seldom used young Kobbie Mainoo’s ability to control the midfield. Defensively, the team concede too many chances from set pieces and often lose structure while pressing high.

Fernandes must adapt as well. He needs to blend Amorim’s structured style with his instinct for sharp forward passes. The challenge remains steep, but Bruno still believes, as captain, that his team will make it through. It proves his quiet conviction that United can still fight their way back into the Champions League, even if the road ahead stays long and difficult.

This article first appeared on We All Follow United and was syndicated with permission.

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