Manchester United will have a second chance to take what the right decision would be – selling Bruno Fernandes.
But the fear of creating instability, just as Ruben Amorim has things back on track – and the impact on fans – suggests that they will bottle the big call.
Fernandes is more than just the captain of the Red Devils – he is also their best player and the glue that binds the dressing room together.
No wonder that so many supporters and teammates celebrated the Portuguese midfielder the £ 60 million a year, five-year-old deal of the Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in June and went to Old Trafford.
Fernandes remains the heartbeat of the team, a role that he performs with zeal and duty.
But with Baas Amorim who has spent £ 127.5 million to buy two starters who will fill Bruno's best position, it forced him in a deeper role that fits him as boots with three sizes too small.
If the 30-year-old went to the current Vrijers Al-Nassr, it would offer an opportunity to make Amorim's rebuilding permanent.
In reality it might have been better for everyone if Fernandes had packed his bags earlier this summer after the £ 100 million offer of £ 100 million.
But although the will of Manchester City of Liverpool do not hesitate to close a deal that makes sense to commercial and sporty, United seems much less capable of being fat.
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Fernandes was excellent in the first match of their Premier League Summer Series, the 2-1 victory over West Ham in New Jersey last Sunday.
He converted their fifth minute of penalty opener, curled in the second and connected to £ 62.5 million new recruit Matheus Cunha.
It was Fernandes at his best and played as one of the two attackers behind No. 9 and was on the ball in the areas where he could cause problems and enjoy the responsibility.
Behind the scenes, also, because Amorim's new approach seems to be wearing fruit, the skipper has been integral.
Fernandes and Harry Maguire are seen as leaders and important influencers, with the Portugal International a social butterfly that can bind and communicate with all players and other club staff.
But although United was far too good for Bournemouth in Wednesday's 4-1 victory in Chicago, the return of Fernandes to a deeper role indicated issues that were difficult to control.
When signing Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo and aimed at RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Amorim made it clear that he provides a new attacking Trident.
That means that Fernandes will have to play as one of the two deeper midfielders in Amorim's preference 3-4-2-1 Wing-back system.
A position where his attacking instincts, the things that stand out must be tempered, to prevent them from exposing the other central midfielder, or Manuel Ugarte or the experienced but Pijary Casemiro.
Amorim acknowledges that he may take away part of the effectiveness of his captain. But he said: 'I really like it when Bruno has the ball.
“Last year I felt that I sometimes pushed him back to have more possession in the structure and then we missed Bruno by the box.
“But we sometimes miss Bruno when he plays as a no. 10, but there are times when he plays there and cannot get the ball.
“He runs a lot and has a lot of endurance. He is smart and ready for physicality, deep or as a midfielder.”
Fernandes is a goal scorer and a target threat. He will not be that effective from deeper.
As an alternative, his desire to get ahead and influence the game can lead to a lack of positional discipline, an error that opposite managers will quickly jump on.
Amorim tried to paint a different image, and claimed that with his side now had more thrust and dynamic in the future: “If you have a player with the quality of Bruno, without pressure on the ball, it gives us more options.”
But if United Al-Hilal's £ 100 million had brought and al-Nassr perhaps more, they might have received a more natural and defense-minded option to fill the void. Round pegs, round holes.
The Amorim system is based on wing backs that yield width, but the danger is that they will be caught from the defensive position, with the responsibility on the central midfielders to cover any shortcomings.
That is not the most important active in Fernandes.
If he had chosen Saudi in June, the broken heart would have left.
But maybe it would be better to get cash for the club – assuming they use it wisely.
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