Manchester United
Premier League • England
Man Utd star rejects exit chance in favour of ousting Ten Hag favourite from starting XI
A Man Utd star won’t return to the club he was loaned to last season, and instead has his sights set on breaking into Erik ten Hag’s first-team plans this season.
The 2020 summer window saw Man Utd complete three Spanish raids that bolstered their youth ranks. Full-backs Marc Jurado and Alvaro Fernandez were plucked from Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, while Alejandro Garnacho arrived from Atletico Madrid.
Garnacho was the first to break into the first-team plans at Old Trafford, though left-back Fernandez is quickly coming up on the rails.
Indeed, Fernandez shone during a season-long loan with Preston North End last season. The Spaniard received Preston’s Young Player of the Year award 12 months on from being named the best performer in Man Utd’s Under-21s.
Fernandez has been integrated into Ten Hag’s plans during United’s pre-season. He’s featured in three of their four outings thus far and the attack-minded left-back grabbed an assist during the 3-1 defeat to Wrexham on Wednesday.
Now, speaking to Spanish outlet AS, Fernandez has revealed he’s received offers from ‘great Championship clubs’ regarding another loan spell for the upcoming season.
However, Fernandez believes he’s moved beyond another stint in the second tier and would favour a ‘top league’ if loaned out once more.
But per the player, his preference is to establish himself at Old Trafford, something that would put Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia on notice.
Shaw is coming off the back of a superb campaign in which Ten Hag used the full-back at centre-half as well as left-back.
But if Fernandez gets his way, Shaw could soon have a hungry young contender snapping at his heels.
Fernandez puts ball in Ten Hag’s court
“Hopefully I can stay in the United first team,” said Fernandez. “If it doesn’t happen and I have to go out on loan, then keep working hard and keep growing.
“I am 20 years old and what I want is to play. But if it can be at United, much better.
“I have been called [by] great Championship teams. And Preston wanted to continue counting on me.
“But in case of going out on loan, I would say that the time has come to go to a top league. Not to say directly the Premier League or La Liga.”
But while Fernandez’s focus is clearly on Man Utd at present, he did hint a return to his home country of Spain could await in the future.
“In the end, I have been away [from Spain] for a few years,” added the left-back. “That’s fine, but there’s always that spark to return.
“I’m great in England, it’s the truth, but there is always that door open to return to Spain in the future.”
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