Bruno Fernandes insists the Manchester United dressing room is not satisfied despite guaranteeing they will finish in the top four of the Premier League this season.
Erik ten Hag‘s side booked their place in the Champions League with a 4-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Thursday.
The result moved them above Newcastle into third in the table, six points clear of Liverpool with a game to spare.
However, Fernandes claims the overall feeling is that they still have plenty more to give.
“The belief has been always there because we believe since the beginning in the ideas of the manager, in the players that we have, since the beginning of the season until the end,” he said.
“That’s why we get this position. But obviously, as players, we are not happy just to get the top four.
“We want more, we aim for more because we believe in this team there is enough qualities to go forward.”
United can yet finish this campaign on a trophy-winning note, of course, with the FA Cup final next weekend against rivals Manchester City.
Victory will deny Pep Guardiola’s team the Treble and bring United their second domestic trophy of the season, after winning the Carabao Cup, although Fernandes claims success or failure will not define the campaign.
“No, no, it’s a positive season, not successful because successful is different for this club and for us players it has to be too,” he added.
“We did win a trophy. We get into the top four. Now we have another final but whatever happens in that final will not change anything about the season we have done.
“One game can’t define a season that has been long with so many games and we’ve been doing really well and we had our moments that we could have done better, obviously, because if not we would be in a better position than we are actually.
“But still we went to win the Carabao Cup, we’re in the final of the FA Cup, in Europa League could have been better, but it is what it is. Now, we have the chance to finish in the best way at home against Fulham and after we have time to think about City.”
Ten Hag optimistic De Gea will sign a new deal
Meanwhile, as United look forward to the Champions League next season, Ten Hag is optimistic that David de Gea is on the brink of agreeing a new deal.
The Spanish goalkeeper has won the second Golden Gloves award of his career this season, despite an erratic campaign in which he has committed a number of high-profile errors.
But his contract expires in June and Sunday’s league finale against Fulham could, in theory, be his final appearance at Old Trafford after 12 years at the club.
Ten Hag, while refusing to go into the intricacies of the negotiations, however, expects De Gea, 32, to agree a new contract.
“I think we want him to stay and he wants to stay so I think we will find each other,” he said. “I never give a comment about how negotiations are going.”
United are at a similar impasse with Marcus Rashford, who would be entering the final season of his contract in August if he does not sign an extension in the interim.
And those two negotiations represent the first major order of business for United to conclude as they set about team strengthening this summer.
In the case of De Gea, the delay has been over his reported £375,000 a week salary and United’s desire for him to agree to a substantial pay cut.
Reports have suggested that De Gea has agreed the latest United offer in principle, but there has still been no confirmation from the club.
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