Bruno Fernandes has aimed a barb at Sir Jim Ratcliffe by stating no player wants to be told they are “not good enough or overpaid”, as Manchester United’s co-owner said this week regarding some of Ruben Amorim’s squad.
The captain was speaking after his hat-trick in Thursday’s Europa League last-16 second leg 4-1 win over Real Sociedad that sealed United’s passage to a quarter-final against Lyon.
On Monday Rasmus Højlund, André Onana and Casemiro were among players Ratcliffe referenced as “not good enough” and “overpaid”. All started and performed well against Real Sociedad and Fernandes was asked about the billionaire’s comments.
“It’s not nice to hear certain things obviously,” he said. “I don’t think any player likes to hear criticism or things that are talked about; that you’re not good enough or you’re overpaid or whatever. Everyone has their own contract. The club agrees to the contracts at the time you come here, or at the time you do a new contract, and it’s about proving that you can be important for the club.
“We can’t relax at this club. There’s a big standard, a big attention that you get from the media. You need to realise that sometimes you need to put your focus on your game, trying to improve yourself.”
In August, when Erik ten Hag was still manager, Fernandes signed a new deal until 2027 with the option of a further year. He revealed this came after he had considered leaving. “I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave, we talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying,” the 30-year-old said. “They said what they wanted from me. I asked if they still see me as part of the future of the club or not. I spoke at the time with Ten Hag also.
“He was very clear with me, the club were very clear with me; that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild that they want to do in a different way. I heard what they had to tell me. I thought that we could be successful. Unfortunately, we didn’t start the season very well. Erik had to lose his job by the results we had and the performance we had, but the fault was on everyone and everyone together with the manager.
“Now we are in a different moment with a new manager that thinks in a different way, has a different way of playing. I’m still very happy at the club.”
Last month the former United captain Roy Keane criticised Fernandes’s leadership, saying on the Overlap podcast: “Bruno is not a fighter.” The Portuguese denied this was unfair.
“Everyone has an opinion and that’s fine,” he said. “I can’t change the mind of people. Roy Keane was an amazing captain for the club, one of the best. He’s massively respected and has all my respect. He has to give his opinion in a programme and this is what he thinks about me. What I’m doing on the pitch is to try to change his mind, or do something he probably sees as a good thing. Obviously I do it in my own way, I don’t want to copy anyone.
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“I try to be the best captain that I can for my teammates. I try to help everyone in the best way I know. I have a lot of things to improve, not only as a captain but as a player, as a person, as a human being and that’s fine.
“Criticism is going to be always there and it’s going to make me grow and understand that there’s still a long way to go.”
Amorim said his team were starting to comprehend his vision. “I feel that in the last games that we understand the idea of what we want to do better,” he said. “We are better at understanding the plan for the games, we are giving more time for the team to win or draw games – not conceding a goal and losing our minds and suffering another goal. We are understanding the moments of the game and also we are understanding better the way we want to play.”
Mason Mount may be a substitute at Leicester after 19 games out with an undisclosed injury. “I really love Mason Mount,” Amorim said. “When a player does everything like he does, he will always have the support of everybody here at the club. I think he will be on the bench – we will see. He cannot play too many minutes but just five minutes of Mason Mount is perfect.”