Arsenal icon Ian Wright has launched a stinging critique of Manchester United's handling of captain Bruno Fernandes, revealing he would gladly welcome the Portuguese maestro to the Emirates Stadium immediately.
Fernandes' Revealing Interview Sparks Outrage
The controversy stems from a candid interview Fernandes gave to Canal 11, which aired earlier this week. In it, the Manchester United skipper confessed he was left "hurt" and "sad" by the club's stance during the last summer transfer window.
Fernandes disclosed that Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal tabled a monumental offer worth around £100 million in transfer fee, coupled with wages potentially reaching £700,000-a-week. While the midfielder chose to reject the move, citing his love for the club and family reasons, he was dismayed by United's apparent willingness to sanction his departure.
"From the club I felt it was, 'If you go it’s not so bad for us'. It hurts me a bit," Fernandes stated following United's 4-4 draw with Bournemouth. "The club wanted me to leave. I told the directors that, I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision because the manager wanted me."
Wright Blasts United's 'Indecisiveness'
Reacting to these revelations on The Overlap, former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright expressed bewilderment and sympathy for Fernandes. He interpreted the saga as symptomatic of deeper issues within the United hierarchy.
"When you look at Bruno’s quotes, it comes back to Man United being indecisive," Wright argued. "So someone comes in for Bruno Fernandes last summer… you shut that down. He didn’t want to go. Bruno is basically saying the club went, 'it’s up to you if you want to leave'. That’s not what you want to hear when you’re the person who has basically held the club up by yourself."
Wright emphasised that the club's leadership should have unequivocally backed their star player. "You want the club to say, 'you’re not going nowhere, you’re a massive part of this'. But Manchester United didn’t do that. They gave him the option and said, 'if you want to go, you can go'. What is that saying to him?"
He concluded with a bold declaration of his own: "I would take him tomorrow."
The Fallout and United's Current Struggles
Fernandes, who joined United from Sporting CP for £47 million in January 2020, has been a beacon of consistency. He has made over 300 appearances, scoring 103 goals and providing 93 assists, firmly establishing himself as one of the Premier League's elite talents.
His commitment to competing "at the highest level" at Old Trafford now looks increasingly challenging. The club's prospects for silverware this season appear dim. They currently sit sixth in the Premier League, a significant ten points behind leaders Arsenal, and have already suffered an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two's Grimsby Town.
With an FA Cup third-round tie against Brighton ahead and a crucial league match versus Aston Villa on Sunday, the pressure is mounting. The public airing of Fernandes' grievances, amplified by Wright's scathing assessment, adds another layer of scrutiny to a club already grappling with instability on and off the pitch.
