Wonderkid 'ideal for Man Utd' in transfer link days after €32m move

Tom Weber

Updated: 23 Sept 2025 18:24 BST
4 min read

Roger Fernandes only joined Al-Ittihad earlier this month, but he is already being linked with a big-money move to the Premier League.

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The Portuguese wonderkid enjoyed a breakout season at Braga last term and firmly put his name on the map. Hugely versatile and capable of playing in pretty much every wide role, Fernandes attracted the attention of English and Spanish clubs.

Back in the spring, Man Utd were surprisingly beaten to the signing of Sporting CP prodigy Geovany Quenda by Chelsea, with the thrilling talent set to link up with the Blues next year.

Current ETV

Roger Fernandes

M, AM (R)

Al-Ittihad

Roger Fernandes

M, AM (R)

Al-Ittihad

ETV Range

€23.5M - €28.7M

Fernandes was touted as a possible alternative as his ability to play as a wing-back and a more traditional winger saw him deemed an ideal player for Ruben Amorim's system.

Ultimately, no transfer materialised, with Man Utd instead opting to pursue Premier League-proven wide forwards. This allowed Al-Ittihad to complete a shock €32 million move for the 19-year-old in early September, but he has yet to make his debut.

Fernandes to leave Saudi in 2026?

Despite his recent move to Saudi Arabia, there seems to be an awareness in the industry that this will just be a brief sojourn rather than a long-term stay.

Immediately after he joined the Jeddah giants, TBR Football claimed that Man Utd would continue to keep track of the youngster with a view to a future move.

Now, TEAMtalk states that Nottingham Forest, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also still monitoring Fernandes. It is asserted that the Reds have put Fernandes under 'constant observation.'

The report goes so far as to suggest that the teenager could be on the move again as early as January, with the Portuguese's name 'likely to dominate the headlines.'

Should a move to England indeed materialise, Fernandes would likely face a tough challenge to establish himself. Standing at just 5ft 5in, the diminutive speedster would have to bulk up to cope with the Premier League's intensity.

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