The release clause in the contract of Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes has “expired”, according to BBC reporter Simon Stone.

Up until recently, foreign clubs were able to sign the Portuguese international if they paid £57m, but that buyout fee no longer exists.

That might be just as well, with Stone also revealing that Fernandes has been the subject of interest from three different teams.

AC Milan and Juventus have both weighed up moves for the 31-year-old, but Galatasaray were the most serious, with the Turkish giants reportedly prepared to put €50m (£43m) on the table.

Man Utd do not want to sell

The Red Devils have communicated to suitors that Fernandes is not available for any price, despite his contract running down into its final year.

One reason why there is no urgency to offload the Portuguese international with less than twelve months remaining on his current deal is due to the fact that United have the option to automatically extend his stay at Old Trafford until the summer of 2028.

Unlike Casemiro, who had a similar clause in his contract, it is likely that Fernandes’s option will be triggered in the not-too-distant future.

Talks with Fernandes over a new deal have not progressed

In an ideal world, United would like to keep the midfielder for the long term, but there have been suggestions that the midfielder has requested a sizeable increase in his current salary to stay at Old Trafford.

It means that even if his contract is automatically extended for another twelve months, Director of Football Jason Wilcox may have to consider selling him next summer or risk losing him on a free transfer the following year.

Of course, there is always a chance that a compromise will be reached on the terms of a contract extension before then.

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