Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes met with members of INEOS, led by new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and wants to lead their new Old Trafford project.
INEOS, led by Ratcliffe, secured a 27.7 per cent stake in United last month. As part of the deal, they have taken control of the club's football operations. Ratcliffe has already started making changes, bringing in Omar Berrada from Manchester City to be United's new chief executive.
Ratcliffe also wants Newcastle United's Dan Ashworth to be the club's first sporting director, but is facing a fight to get him out of St James's Park in the timeframe he desires. Ashworth is currently on gardening leave. Ratcliffe has vowed to get United back on an even keel with Manchester City and Liverpool, making his desire to knock the duo "off their perch" clear.
And that is something that Fernandes similarly wants.
"I've always told the club that I don't want to be promised that we're going to be champions because whatever club I go to, I don't expect to be promised something that they can't fulfil from the start," Fernandes told A BOLA.
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"What I've always asked for and what I want from the club is for us to be competitive. This year we haven't been and we don't have to hide it. The season has been below our expectations, below my expectations, at least.
"And I think the club's too, because they're not used to being in these positions. I want to be competitive, I want to compete, I want to win."
Fernandes added: "I've already had a meeting with the new owners. They want to meet with the players and have already done so individually, and that was exactly the message I sent."
"I want to stay here, I want to be part of a project that has feet, legs, torso and head, everything that is needed so that we can compete with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, which are the clubs that have been in the best shape. City and Liverpool above all, and Arsenal, which in the last two or three years has also been growing."
United have endured a disappointing season this term, having finished second in 2022-23 behind City. Sunday's win over Liverpool at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter-final keeps their hopes of silverware alive, but they face an uphill fight to land a Champions League spot, with Spurs and Aston Villa ahead of them in the race at present.
Fernandes added: "After last year, when I think we had a good season for the expectations that existed and for my expectations... I was aware that I wasn't going to be at the same level as Liverpool and City, I was aware of that, but I was also aware that we could compete or be closer, and we were closer to competing with them, we reached two finals, we won one, we lost another, we reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League."
"But from last season to this one there wasn't that continuity that we should have here, which would have made us even more competitive, a team more in line to be in the top places."
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