Wayne Rooney has said Bruno Fernandes does not merit a place in Manchester United's all-time XI, despite the midfielder's recent resurgence under interim manager Michael Carrick. The former United striker, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast alongside Roy Keane and Gary Neville, argued that the 31-year-old captain falls short of the club's greatest attacking talents.
"I think Bruno is a top player but to get into Manchester United's all-time XI, I don't think so," Rooney said. "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 that Fernandes would have to displace the likes of Bobby Charlton, George Best and Paul Scholes, while Keane stressed the importance of silverware.
"What if Bruno leaves in the next couple of years and he's not got even a couple of league titles under his belt?" Keane said. "Part of your greatness has to be getting your hands on trophies, it has to be." Fernandes has thrived since Carrick replaced the sacked Ruben Amorim in January, but the debate over his long-term legacy at Old Trafford continues.
Meanwhile, Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte has been told he should seek an exit from United this summer. The 24-year-old, who arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 for a fee that could rise to £50m, has disappointed in English football. Former Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet, a fellow Uruguayan, urged him to find a new club.
"He needs to find the right club," Poyet told GOAL. "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." Poyet added that he had wanted Ugarte at Chelsea before his move to PSG, but felt the player had not progressed since.
