Bruno Fernandes: I have financial opportunities elsewhere; my goal is to ‘compete’ with Manchester United.
Bruno Fernandes has stated that his drive comes from winning trophies rather than financial gain, emphasizing that this is his goal at Manchester United.
In a conversation with The Times, the Manchester United captain expressed that players are drawn to the club with the intention of securing prestigious titles, indicating that although he could earn money elsewhere, he chose United due to its rich legacy of success.
Last summer, Fernandes revealed that he declined a “very ambitious” proposal from Saudi Pro League team Al Hilal. He mentioned at that time that he aimed to remain at the highest level and participate in “major competitions.”
“Everyone who arrives at Manchester United aspires to win every trophy,” Fernandes remarked when questioned if two cups in six years were sufficient.
“No one comes to the club thinking, ‘We’re going to contend for just one or two trophies in six years.’ You aim to compete for all of them. We reached three [other] finals and fell short. That can occur. But at least you’ve been in the battle. We were close.
“And what I have communicated to the club every time we’ve talked is that what I desire during my time here is to compete. Because if I compete, I will be near to winning. If I don’t compete, there’s no chance of getting close to any silverware.”
Fernandes is experiencing a remarkable season at United and is relishing his time following the team’s revival under Michael Carrick. He has recorded 8 goals and 16 assists in the Premier League this season, leading the league in assists thus far.
“The expectation will always be that we [United] aim to win the Premier League.
“I understand that people may think, ‘you go for more money, better contracts.’ No, you join Manchester United because you want to win trophies.
“You can find money anywhere. Many clubs in the Premier League offer good salaries, and numerous clubs in Italy and Spain pay well. You come to this club because of its history and what you believe you can accomplish.
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“Whether you ultimately succeed or not depends on being better than the other teams. However, what I consistently tell the club is that you can’t guarantee me a Premier League title; that’s impossible. But if you assure me that we will be competitive — that’s all I need to know.
“Then it is up to me to become the best version of myself, to assist everyone around me in becoming their best selves, so we can become the club we aspire to be.”
United are pursuing a Champions League position and will next face Leeds at Old Trafford on April 13.
