Fernandes was benched for a chastening home defeat, trashed his manager’s tactics on the way back from a Champions League hammering, and is now the subject of reported January interest from the man he worked under until January.

Goal reported on Tuesday that Milan are closely monitoring the 32-year-old and that his relationship with United has “completely broken down”, with Amorim driving the interest from San Siro.

Neither club has confirmed anything.

The Amorim link is the obvious one. The Portuguese coach was appointed Milan head coach in June on a three-year deal, replacing Massimiliano Allegri, after being sacked by United in January. He had Fernandes as captain throughout his short spell at Old Trafford and before that coached him at Sporting.

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Dropped at Old Trafford

Fernandes paid for his very public complaints about Carrick’s coaching last week. After United were beaten 4-1 by Como in the Champions League, he told Sky Sports the plan to drop off rather than press man-to-man was not his.

“That’s on the manager and on the staff to see it, it’s not on me,” Fernandes said.

Carrick, speaking in his own press conference, defended the approach and turned the question back on his players.

“We half pressed man-to-man in the second half and ended up conceding a goal from that. Whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win,” he said.

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Fernandes doubled down days later in a Sky Sports Italia interview carried by Goal, telling the Italian broadcaster everyone at the club had to stop living in the past.

Carrick left him out of the Bournemouth starting XI and brought him on at 2-0 down. United lost 3-0, extending their winless run to eight.

“A disgrace”

The United pundit class turned on Fernandes before Milan were ever mentioned. On Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher called the Como outburst unforgivable.

“For Bruno Fernandes to do that, it is a disgrace. Last season he was Player of the Year,” Carragher said.

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Gary Neville was no softer, telling his Sky Sports podcast the captain had let himself down. The feeling at Old Trafford, Sky added, was that Fernandes had crossed a line that captains are not supposed to cross.

January realities

A Milan move in the winter window is a long way from a done deal. United would not sell their captain mid-season without a serious bid, and Milan’s own start under Amorim has been bumpy.

For now, both the player and his manager remain employed at Manchester United. Carrick survived Monday’s crisis talks with the hierarchy and is preparing the squad for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea. Fernandes is expected to be in the travelling party.

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