New Manchester United manager Mauricio Pochettino will walk into an increasingly tricky situation at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes having rejected a second contract offer from the club, according to a reliable report.

Pochettino is primed to leave his job with the USMNT to join Man Utd in the coming days after Michael Carrick’s departure was confirmed, but his task is a difficult one.

Not only are United in the unprecedented position of being in the Premier League relegation zone at this point in the season, but their captain is unhappy with the new terms being proposed to him by the club.

Bruno’s contract expires at the end of the season, but while Man Utd hold an option to extend it for a further 12 months, they are eager to tie the Portuguese playmaker down to a fresh agreement to secure his future.

However, multiple sources, including The Athletic and Sky Sports, indicate that he has turned down a second offer from the Red Devils, putting his future at the club in serious doubt.

Talks have been ongoing since the summer, with this second offer reported to include improved terms, which the 32-year-old has rejected. The Athletic reports that salary and length of deal are two of the issues still under discussion.

Analysis: Why Bruno Fernandes is such a big problem for Man Utd

While Fernandes was named PFA Player of the Year last season, United will be conscious that he is entering the later years of his career and will be eager not to enter the type of scenario that Liverpool found themselves in last season.

United’s great rivals were pressed into handing a two-year contract to iconic winger Mohamed Salah, only for the Egypt international to dramatically lose his form after a career-best campaign.

Fernandes is in danger of doing the same. After last term’s heroics, he has scored or assisted in only two of the club’s ten Premier League matches this season.

His decline is illustrated by SciSports, whose analysis shows that Bruno is in a period of “significant decline” and has been for much of the last six months.

Given Fernandes’ age, Man Utd therefore find themselves in a difficult spot. They do not with to overpay to retain the veteran, but given many fans and critics still regard him as their best player, allowing him to leave during a period of difficulty for the club is not a strong look either.

A change of management may help the situation. Bruno was openly critical of Carrick’s tactics during the 4-1 Champions League loss to Como recently, and so the arrival of Pochettino may help his belief that United’s trajectory can rapidly change in the next two or three seasons.