Is Bruno Fernandes a Man Utd legend?

Karan Ahgun

— 3 min read
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Is Bruno Fernandes a Man Utd legend?

The word legend is thrown around a lot in football these days, with some of the recipients fully deserving of the title and others not so deserving. For what he has given to Manchester United in nearly 6 years, Bruno Fernandes is well on the way to achieving legendary status for the Red Devils but he still cuts a divisive figure amongst football fans.

Fernandes recently did an interview in which he said he felt hurt by the fact United wanted to sell him last summer, and many would argue that he would be right to feel that way. Saudi side, Al-Hilal, wanted to sign the Portuguese enigma and were reportedly willing to pay around £100 million for him with a bumper contract. But it was Ruben Amorim who was strongly against the sale of his captain, and recent performance in the Premier League have seen Fernandes remind everyone of the incredible value he still has to this Manchester United side. He has 5 goals and 7 assists in the league this season, and including a goal and an assist in Monday Night's crazy 4-4 draw against Bournemouth. There is a kind of inevitability about Bruno Fernandes. Even when he's not playing at his best levels, he can also bring that moment of magic to unlock a defence or determine a result for club or country. That inevitability was felt as he stepped up to take that free-kick on Monday. There was a feeling that the ball just had to go in at that point. And this further added to his amazing record for United, as he has amassed 103 goals and 97 assists in 307 appearances for the club, a record which puts him alongside legends of the football club.

So why did Manchester United want to sell such a fantastic player? Probably because of the club's perceived financial issues and the fact that £100 million would have allowed them to invest even more that they did in the summer. But in saying that, United did find around £230 million to spend so they went exactly strapped for cash. Fernandes is well within his rights to feel hurt by the club's approach last summer, especially considering what he has and still is contributing. He has also made it clear that he wants to win one of the big trophies at United, having won the FA Cup and League Cup. But winning the Premier League or Champions League seems a way off still for the Red Devils, and the question is whether or not Fernandes will still be at the club when they are in a position to win those trophies. And for some, winning those either of those trophies would seal his legacy as a legend of Manchester United.

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