Man United midfielder told to leave club and Wayne Rooney snubs Bruno Fernandes
Michael Carrick has made a strong impression at Manchester United and Bruno Fernandes has maintained good form under his management
Wayne Rooney has snubbed Manchester United ace Bruno Fernandes(Image: Stick to Football)
Michael Carrick has made an impressive start in his second stint as Manchester United’s interim manager. Bruno Fernandes is one player who has particularly flourished under his stewardship.
Ruben Amorim was dismissed at United in January following a poor run of results, with his team selection drawing significant criticism. Club captain Fernandes was frequently cited as being deployed in an unfamiliar role.
Under Carrick, the Portuguese midfielder has excelled, yet club legend Wayne Rooney still opted to overlook the 31-year-old, as the Manchester Evening News brings you all the latest developments from Old Trafford.
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Wayne Rooney’s snub
Speaking on Stick to Football, Rooney alongside fellow legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville were questioned about whether Fernandes deserves a place in an all-time United XI.
“I think Bruno is a top player but to get into Manchester United’s all-time XI, I don’t think so,” said Rooney. “Well, you think you’ve got [Eric] Cantona, you’ve got all the midfielders and all the attacking players. I just don’t think, just on stats alone.”
Neville added: “You are talking about getting in front of people like Bobby Charlton in that attacking midfield position. [George] Best, Charlton, [Paul] Scholes…”
Keane also weighed in: “What if Bruno leaves in the next couple of years and he’s not got even a couple of league titles under his belt? Part of your greatness has to be getting your hands on trophies, it has to be.”
Manuel Ugarte told to leave
Midfielder Manuel Ugarte arrived at Old Trafford in summer 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain and whilst he was expected to become a crucial midfield component, he has fallen short of expectations.
The transfer could ultimately cost United up to £50million should certain add-ons be triggered, and he signed a five-year contract running until 2029. However, fellow Uruguayan and former Premier League star Gus Poyet has witnessed enough of the 24-year-old in England.
When questioned whether Ugarte should pursue a departure this summer, Poyet told GOAL: “Yeah, and it has affected me a lot because he’s from Uruguay and before he went to Paris Saint-Germain, I wanted him to come to Chelsea.
“I don’t know him, so I couldn’t call him! And he went to Paris Saint-Germain and I was a little bit upset because I thought it was perfect at that time for Chelsea. But after that, he kind of didn’t kick on. Paris Saint-Germain and now Man United.
“He needs to find the right club. I think he’s a top player. I think he’s a top central midfielder. I think he can cover the pitch well. He can cover spaces. He can defend well. But he needs to find the team. He needs to find, I would say, the identity of a club to be able to play every week because he has even lost his main position at the national team.”
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