Bruno Fernandes to miss at least a month, Manchester United urgently needs to buy a midfielder in the winter transfer window! Two players emerge as top candidates

Manchester United's "Iron Man" Bruno Fernandes, known for rarely getting injured, has also gone down. In the 1-2 loss to Aston Villa, the 31-year-old B. Fernandes left the pitch injured before halftime. According to the UK’s The Telegraph, he is expected to be sidelined for at least a month, leaving the Red Devils to face life without their captain.

During the match against Villa, B. Fernandes grabbed the back of his right thigh before the first half ended. When he returned to the bench, he walked slowly with a limp, clearly in pain. Manager Rúben Amorim described it as a soft tissue injury, and teammate Diogo Dalot hinted that if the injury wasn’t serious, B. Fernandes wouldn’t have agreed to be substituted. His absence will be a huge loss.

In recent years, B. Fernandes has faced criticism for frequently losing possession and often complaining with raised hands, with some fans even feeling he has been a burden to the team. Now, those people will get to see whether Manchester United is better or worse without him.

Manchester United will likely deeply miss him; losing his creativity along with his goals and assists will be a major blow to this still inconsistent team. Amorim appeared downcast when discussing the injury. "I believe it’s a soft tissue injury, so he needs some time to recover," he said. "Injuries happen; sometimes it’s bad luck, sometimes not. You can never control these things."

According to injury experts, recovery time for a thigh soft tissue injury depends on its severity. Mild injuries take one to two weeks to heal, while moderate injuries involving partial muscle fiber tears require two to eight weeks of treatment. Severe injuries mean a complete muscle or tendon rupture needing surgery, sidelining the player for over three months. Fortunately, B. Fernandes’ condition is clearly not that serious, as he is still able to walk on his own.

For the last two matches of 2025, the midfield options available to Amorim are very limited. With Cody Menos sidelined for several weeks due to a calf injury sustained before training, the choices are down to Casemiro, Ugarte, and Lisandro Martínez, who acted as a "firefighter" in the second half against Villa.

Therefore, The Guardian reports that harsh realities may force Manchester United to take temporary measures in the January transfer window, bringing in players they might not have originally planned to sign. The Red Devils’ midfield targets have long been Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson, Crystal Palace’s Adam Walton, and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, but the chances of signing any of the three this winter are very slim, and if forced, their prices will definitely be high.

British media say Manchester United might turn their attention to Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves or Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher. Both have Premier League experience and won’t be too expensive. The 28-year-old Neves’ contract is about to expire, and he could be acquired for under £20 million; United will also consider trying to loan Gallagher again.

After the loss to Villa, when asked about transfer plans, Amorim gave a diplomatic response: "I’m not going to tell Jason (Wilcox) and Omar (Belada), ‘We need a lot of players,’ because we have a long-term plan. Even if we have to endure difficulties now, the club’s interests must come first..."

Predicted Manchester United starting lineup against Newcastle United: Senna Lamens / Lenny Yoro, Eden Haven, Luke Shaw / Diogo Dalot, Casemiro, Lima, Patrick Dogu / Mason Mount, Szeszko, Cunha.