Man Utd “genius” can steal Mount’s No.7 shirt
For some, a shirt quantity could seem arbitrary, though it’s onerous to disregard the standing and significance of the quantity seven at Manchester United, having develop into synonymous with the membership’s brightest and finest.
From Eric Cantona, to David Beckham, to Cristiano Ronaldo, the Purple Devils loved a glittering 17-year interval within the Premier League through which that shirt had a rightful house, with all three sporting it with distinction.
Within the 16 years since Ronaldo’s exit for Actual Madrid, nonetheless, the No.7 has develop into one thing of a poisoned chalice, a cursed providing for a string of latest signings who’ve all flattered to deceive.
Its present incumbent, Mason Mount, has notably scored simply 5 objectives throughout an injury-hit two-year spell at Previous Trafford, with questions prone to be requested over whether or not the Englishman was worthy of such an honour within the first place.
Gifted, however undoubtedly unreliable resulting from his repeated stints on the remedy desk, Mount may nicely profit from relieving that burden and strain on himself, with Ruben Amorim maybe already having the proper successor lined up.
Man Utd’s post-Ronaldo quantity seven curse
Have United ever actually recovered from the summer time of 2009? Out went Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, with Sir Alex Ferguson securing Gabriel Obertan, Antonio Valencia and an ageing Michael Owen as their replacements.
That vital drop in high quality maybe epitomises the malaise that has set in in the course of the much-maligned Glazer regime, with preliminary success post-Ronaldo having shortly been extinguished within the years following Ferguson’s retirement.
To have gone from the Portuguese sensation to that man Owen because the membership’s new no.7 stays an actual headscratcher, with the previous England worldwide – that Manchester derby aim apart – proving one thing of a forgotten determine at Previous Trafford.
The mantle was subsequently handed on to Valencia for 2012/13, though the Ecuadorian swiftly relinquished such standing, whereas the subsequent recipient – Angel Di Maria – lasted only a solitary season earlier than departing the membership for Paris Saint-Germain.
Memphis Depay, in the meantime, scored simply seven occasions in 53 video games earlier than being proven the door by Jose Mourinho, whereas Alexis Sanchez may solely hearth house 5 occasions in 45 video games, throughout his depressing £400k-per-week stint on the membership.
Fellow South American star Edinson Cavani loved a promising first marketing campaign because the no.7 with 17 objectives in all competitions, earlier than the choice was made handy the returning Ronaldo the honour as a substitute, for the 2021/22 marketing campaign.
The Portuguese aim machine’s homecoming in the end proved short-lived, amid his explosive exit beneath Erik ten Hag, with Mount later taking up the honour following his 2023 summer time arrival from Chelsea.
All in all, the jersey has been an albatross across the neck for a succession of high-profile figures, with United now needing to look inwards to discover a rightful holder once more.
Why Bruno Fernandes needs to be the brand new quantity seven
The person who scored the opener towards Sunderland final outing, Mount has proven flashes that he generally is a go-to determine beneath Amorim, with the Portuguese coach lauding him as a “correct footballer” amid his arrival on the membership just below a 12 months in the past.
As already defined, nonetheless, the 26-year-old sadly cannot be trusted to remain injury-free, making simply 53 appearances in all competitions since becoming a member of on a £55m deal.
Whether or not Mount stays or goes subsequent summer time, it could be sensible for United to think about re-housing the quantity seven, with ever-reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes, absolutely deserving and worthy of such an honour.
Described as a “genius” previously by Ten Hag, Fernandes has been central to something and every thing good concerning the membership over the previous 5 years or so, just lately reaching a milestone of 100 objectives from his now 298 appearances.
With an extra 86 assists so as to add into the equation, the 31-year-old has for thus lengthy been United’s chief supplier and goal-getter, a reality emphasised solely final season, as he ended the marketing campaign with 38 aim involvements throughout all fronts.
Regardless of flirting with an exit each final summer time and through the latest window – amid curiosity from Saudi Arabia – the Purple Devils skipper has remained intently loyal to the membership, seemingly relishing his talismanic standing because the central determine within the facet.
Proper from the off, the ex-Sporting CP man has been a game-changer for United, even whereas these round him might need suffered, with comparisons to that man Cantona having flooded in amid his early affect at Previous Trafford.
Whereas the silverware has sadly not adopted within the diploma that it did after the Frenchman’s entrance in 1992, Fernandes is a equally heroic determine, carrying the duty on his again again and again.
Like Cantona, he actually is not good – having notably seen crimson on three events in 2024/25 – however the at-times flamable playmaker greater than makes up for that together with his repeated genius.
Two penalties might need been missed this season, however Fernandes is rarely one to shrink back from the strain and the limelight, displaying all of the attributes of a participant worthy of becoming a member of the likes of Cantona and Ronaldo as the subsequent quantity seven.
It might maybe be a brutal act to grab that standing away from Mount, though few may argue towards Fernandes being rewarded for such effective service with a well-merited promotion.
