Manchester United are undergoing massive upheaval on and off the pitch, with more in the pipeline, but the picture of consistency in it all is Bruno Fernandes.
Since coming to the eclub in 2020 and then becoming the captain, Bruno Fernandes has been the ever-present factor while things change around him.
Regardless of the owners, the managers, tactics, teammates, or circumstances, the Portuguese has always turned up with the goods and even when he hasn’t, his effort can’t be faulted.
That consistency has now led him to a position where he’s issued an open challenge to a former Man Utd teammate whose record is in his sights.
Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes’ challenge to Juan Mata
From becoming David Moyes’ first marquee signing at Man Utd (sorry, Marouane Fellaini!) to surviving under multiple managers since, Juan Mata remains a fan favourite.
The Spaniard, much like Fernandes, was the consummate professional, never complaining about his playing time and doing his best when given the chance.
That led to him spending a remarkable nine years at Old Trafford, with United standing as the club for which he made the most appearances in his illustrious career.
Poetically, Fernandes took Mata’s No.8 shirt when the Spaniard left the club in 2022, and he can now take his spot in the list of foreign Man Utd players with most appearances for the club.
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Fernandes stands at 275 appearances, good for 11th on the list, with Mata at tenth, having made 285 appearances. The Portuguese made sure to remind Mata that he was coming for him!
Player (Non UK/IRE) Appearances (All Competitions)
David de Gea 545
Peter Schmeichel 398
Patrice Evra 379
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 366
Mikael Silvestre 361
Cristiano Ronaldo 346
Antonio Valencia 339
Anthony Martial 317
Nemanja Vidic 300
Juan Mata 285
Bruno Fernandes* 275
Most appearances for Man Utd by a foreign player
He said (via Man Utd’s official website): “Juan, I will go for you. I’ll go for you first, for in the list being in the top 10 of the club for foreign players. But it’s always special.
“He will be a good one to overtake, just because of the relationship we have. How good it would be to be ahead of him on something!”
Fernandes can finish in top-five of foreign Man Utd players with most appearances
Mata is tenth with 285 appearances but with Fernandes’ availability record and the ever-increasing number of football matches played, he can feasibly finish in the top-five at the very least.
Every player on the list above him has retired and, at the rate of playing about 40 games every year for three years, which is when his contract expires, he can finish second, behind David de Gea.
De Gea’s record will probably remain untouched barring another foreign goalkeeper coming in his teenage years to Old Trafford, something extremely unlikely now!
Being the outfielder with the most appearances for United for a foreign player will be just reward for a player who should have won even more trophies too.
Perhaps that will come in the next three years as well.