- Bruno Fernandes set to stay at Manchester United
- Captain wants to ‘navigate’ club to better things
- Elite, fan-like mentality makes Fernandes a cult hero
Manchester United prepare to face rivals Liverpool in a heated derby later on today (3 May). After Brighton’s loss to Newcastle United on Saturday (2 May), it means that the Reds only need a draw to confirm their place in next season’s Champions League.
However, a win is what the team want to achieve at Old Trafford. The standards have been raised off the floor in the second half of this season. Leading the drive to maximise efforts from the team is the captain himself.
Amid speculation linking him with a move away from the club last summer, Bruno Fernandes has fully committed himself to United. Moreover, the time to deliver success in the famous red shirt is coming closer – and it all starts with the head of the snake.
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Captain Fantastic Almost Left Last Season
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, the 31-year-old opened up about the past. Over the years, Fernandes has had numerous opportunities to leave Old Trafford – none much closer than last summer’s proposition from Saudi side Al-Hilal. However, the United captain rejected the proposal before a formal offer was even submitted. Instead, he chose to fight for the badge on the back of one of the club’s worst seasons in history.
The midfielder said: “I could have gone [left Manchester United] two years ago, or three years ago, I could’ve gone last season. I really like to be at the club and I really think that being successful at this club is something that I would never get being in any other club.”
Former teammate Paul Pogba recently claimed that Fernandes would be in Ballon d’Or contention if he were winning trophies at a team like Manchester City. However, the Portuguese player is adamant that his ‘joy’ will only come from United’s resurgence from the shadows.
He added: “The joy and everything I will get the day I get what I want from this club, I wouldn’t get that in any other club in the world because I know how much the fans want this, I know how passionate they are, I know how much they’re waiting for that moment to come back again.”
The captain concluded: “I’m in the same ship as them [the fans]. I want this ship, instead of being steady, I just want it to go forward and to navigate this as much as we can.”
Fernandes’ Mentality Mirrors the Fans
Fernandes’ loyalty will come as a major boost to the Old Trafford faithful, who have watched him carry the midfield through turbulent times. Despite not accruing the trophies of previous icons, he is ceritfying himself as a modern-day legend at the club.
The playmaker has been in sensational form recently, on the cusp of breaking the all-time assist record in the Premier League. Moreover, he has guided the club to the brink of Champions League qualification.
His desire to push the club forward rather than resting on its past laurels is exactly the mentality the supporters love to see. It is something that will be vocal as a full Old Trafford crowd will be urging their side to beat Liverpool. Given that a loss is not the end of the world from a league perspective, the stakes are not incredibly high for this game. Yet, bragging rights and a league double over their fierce rivals will be enough of a reason for Fernandes and co to send the fans home happy.
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