Every word Bruno Fernandes has said in explosive interview accusing Man Utd owners of ‘lacking courage’
Bruno Fernandes has sent shockwaves through Manchester United with an interview coming in from Portugal, where he has accused club directors of ‘lacking courage’ over his future last summer.
It is an open secret that Bruno Fernandes was the subject of interest from Saudi Arabian league last summer.
He eventually rejected the offer and affirmed his loyalty to the club in a statement of intent appreciated by Ruben Amorim afterwards.
He has emerged this season as one of the best in the league despite playing in a new position, but in an explosive interview, he’s revealed that all that has happened despite him ‘hurting’.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes’ explosive interview
Fernandes spoke to Canal 11, with quotes relayed by Portuguese football outlet MaisFutebol, where he went in-depth into how the events in the summer unfolded.
Here is every word he said in an explosive tell-all that doesn’t paint Ineos in a bright light, as he also took a hammer to teammates who “don’t value the club” as much as he does.
“Until you win trophies, you’re not valued as much, regardless of the club and league you’re in. I was valued, and what values me most has to be my club, although lately I feel like I’m on thin ice. In England, when a player starts approaching 30, they start thinking they need a makeover. It’s like the furniture.
“The issue of loyalty isn’t viewed the same way it used to be. I could have left in the last transfer window, I would have earned much more money, I was going to leave a season ago – I won’t say where – but I would have won many trophies that season. I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely love the club. The conversation with the manager also made me stay.
Bruno Fernandes says he felt United were happy for him to leave in the summer!
Should United have accepted a £100m offer from the Saudi Pro League? What do you think of his comments?
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“But, from the club’s side, I felt a bit like, ‘if you leave, it’s not so bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player who has nothing to criticize. I’m always available, I always play, good or bad. I give my all. Then, you see things around you, players who don’t value the club as much and don’t defend the club as much… that makes you sad.
“The person who spoke to me was the president of Al Hilal, who called me directly. Rúben Neves sent me a message saying he wanted to talk to me. They wanted me to play in the Club World Cup with Al Hilal. It was already a love that came from the Jorge Jesus era, he had already called me in 2023.
“I can’t complain, I’m very well paid, but obviously the difference is abysmal. That was never what guided me. If one day I have to play in Saudi Arabia, I’ll play in Saudi Arabia. My lifestyle will change, my children’s lives will be sunny, after six years in Manchester with cold and rain, I’ll be playing in a growing league, with renowned players. [Quotes continue below the graphic]
What is Bruno Fernandes’ best position for Manchester United?
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“I could have left like many people do and said: ‘I want to leave, I don’t want to train, I just want to leave for 20 or 30 million, so they pay me more on the other side.’ But I never did that. I never felt in a position to do it, because I felt that the empathy and affection I had for the club were the same. But it gets to a point where, for them, money is more important than anything.
“The club wanted me to go, I have that in my head. I told the directors that, but I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision, because the manager wanted me. If I had said I wanted to leave, they would have let me go.”
Fernandes has just become an unexpected headache for Ruben Amorim
When it comes to headaches for Ruben Amorim, Bruno Fernandes probably is the last person Man Utd fans ever thought would create a problem.
However, with this interview, Amorim now has a headache to deal with because Fernandes has not just called out the owners, but also his teammates.
Without naming anyone, he has effectively confirmed the fans’ theories that the players aren’t professional enough.
The captain of the club calling out the club directors when they are already under scrutiny is also as bad as it gets.
Just when United were starting to build some momentum on the pitch by scoring some goals, this will hit the club like a hurricane.
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