Manchester United’s captaincy picture has become unclear after Michael Carrick declined to rule out removing Bruno Fernandes from the role in the wake of his public criticism. Carrick also insisted the squad is not split, but his response left the door open to change.

Martínez is understood to have been fined for his comments, although Sky Sports News state that no such punishment is planned for Fernandes. That remained the position until Carrick’s guarded remarks in Friday’s press conference.

When asked directly whether Fernandes could be dropped or relieved of the armband, Carrick said: “The most important thing for me is the team and the dynamics in the squad. It is about the football club.

“Whatever the situation is I will always do what is best for the football club.”

Attention now turns to Sunday’s match with Bournemouth, where United are trying to end a sequence of seven games without a win. Carrick’s starting line-up may offer the first clue as to how he sees the issue.

The club’s leadership options remain limited, which has long fed concerns about the makeup of the dressing room. If Fernandes is relieved of the responsibility, Harry Maguire would be the likeliest replacement. Maguire was appointed captain by Ole Gunnar Solskjær in 2020 before Erik ten Hag removed the role three years later and handed it to Fernandes.

Other possibilities appear less straightforward. Luke Shaw could be considered when fit, while Lisandro Martínez might also have been in the conversation had he not been the first to speak out against the club. Youri Tielemans arrived in the summer with experience of wearing the armband at Aston Villa, and Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui and Tom Heaton were all part of a leadership group under Ruben Amorim.

The debate has already drawn a strong reaction from Wayne Rooney, who was concerned that Fernandes was not even the first United player to speak out. His sharp assessment of the pair included accusations of selfishness and doubts over their commitment to the club.

A fresh round of Premier League action arrives with Gameweek 7 beginning in Merseyside and ending in north London, and there should be no shortage of movement across the weekend’s fixtures.

Chelsea open the slate at Everton after a commanding 5-1 win over Bournemouth, a result Xabi Alonso described as a “complete performance” from his side. Jordan Henderson’s brace, along with goals from João Pedro and Morgan Rogers, has added to the sense that Chelsea are building momentum. Everton, though, have not lost in the league so far and remain difficult to beat at home, even if their recent record in this fixture favours the visitors only narrowly.

Liverpool travel to Brentford after a high-scoring midweek outing against LASK, while Manchester City will look to answer their own recent setback when Ipswich visit. Newcastle, meanwhile, face an Aston Villa side that appears to be settling after a mixed start, and Fulham meet Hull in a game that could be stubborn rather than open.

The south coast brings another notable contest as Bournemouth and Sunderland both come in after Thursday European wins. Brighton also return home after a convincing continental outing, although Crystal Palace’s strong league form means that match may be tighter than the table suggests.

Sunday’s headline fixture takes Leeds against Manchester United. United remain under scrutiny after a difficult start, and Elland Road is not the sort of venue that offers easy relief. Leeds have already shown enough resilience to suggest they can make life awkward again.

At the City Ground, Arsenal face a Nottingham Forest side that has made a habit of frustrating them on home soil. Forest have only one league win so far, but the numbers behind them suggest they are not far off a better return.

Tottenham close the round against Coventry, with the visitors arriving in confident mood after consecutive wins. Spurs are still searching for rhythm, but this looks like a chance to impose control if they can settle quickly.

Bournemouth have reached the point where they are prepared to let Alex Scott go, but only on their terms. According to BBC Sport, the club would consider offers as early as January if a bidder is willing to meet a fee of £100 million for the midfielder.

That figure has sharpened attention from across the Premier League. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City are all credited with interest, while Chelsea are understood to remain strongly involved. Liverpool are viewed as Chelsea’s nearest rivals for his signature, turning the discussion into a simple one: does Scott justify a nine-figure outlay?

Bournemouth’s position is shaped by both the player’s development and the market around him. Their record sale remains Antoine Semenyo’s £64 million move to Manchester City last January, so Scott would need to go far beyond that benchmark. Club discussions with the player’s representatives have reportedly led to an acceptance that an exit next year could happen, but only for a record-breaking sum.

Scott is described as a modern midfielder, built on work rate, agility and tactical intelligence. Nicknamed the ‘Guernsey Jack Grealish’ because of his roots in the English Channel and his centre-parting, the comparison ends there. He covers ground relentlessly, having run 61.3 miles last season, the most of any Premier League midfielder according to FotMob.

That sort of athletic profile is increasingly prized. Of the 10 most expensive Premier League signings this summer, seven were defensive or central midfielders. Bournemouth can point to that trend, along with fees paid for players such as Enzo Fernández, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali, when defending their valuation.

Chelsea’s interest is easy to understand, particularly with Xabi Alonso still needing midfield additions despite the arrival of a 36-year-old Jordan Henderson. Liverpool’s case is more nuanced, with Scott’s relationship with Iraola potentially offering an advantage. “He’s a great head coach, a great person,” the Cherries Player of the Season said of his former manager. “He has helped me a lot and improved me a lot, so obviously I am going to be grateful for him.”

Even so, a January deal of this scale would be exceptional. Only two players in football history have moved for more than £100 million in a winter window, Philippe Coutinho and Fernández.