Bruno Fernandes has given another interview in which he has opened up on his future at Man Utd and how close he has come to leaving.
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes saw more silverware slip by last season
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The numbers don't lie for Bruno Fernandes, but the trophy cabinet does. 307 appearances for Manchester United, 103 goals, 91 assists, and four Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards have yielded two medals, in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
For all Fernandes' mixed messages over his Old Trafford future and how close he has come to leaving in the past, there can be no question mark over his loyalty to a club he has served with distinction and pride. He deserves more than that measly medal haul, to go with two runners-up efforts in the Europa League.
Speaking to the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Fernandes said he had twice had chances to leave United, only for the club to ask him to stay. That contradicts what he told Canal 11 in an interview released earlier this week, in which he claimed the club wanted him out last summer but lacked the courage to inform him.
That interview was conducted a few weeks ago and was arranged by the Portuguese national team. His chat with Ferdinand was conducted on Saturday, before the Canal 11 quotes were released.
But whatever of Fernandes stirring the pot when it comes to his future and transfer tales of the past, as he points out to Ferdinand, he has given his all to the club and although it remains unsaid, it is clear he hasn't got what he deserves in return.
Fernandes talks about his "loyalty... in the toughest periods" and how he opted to stay despite the fact that he hasn't won the silverware his career clearly merits. At times, he sounded reflective when he considered the seven years of service he has given.
"Obviously, I think the time at the club has not been as I wanted because obviously, I wanted to lift trophies and I haven't lifted as many as I should and I could," he said.
"But at the same time, I think everything I've done for the club in a certain way was still very important and not taking nothing away from other players that were here and everything. I think when we struggled the most, I stayed present to the club and I think everyone at the club, I hope is aware of that because the chances I had were very good.
"So I'm very aware that I could have done a different path. I could have gone in a different way and probably winning more trophies and people talking about me in a different way because I've had trophies into my cabinet. So nowadays people talk more like you are a better player or a worse player if you win or you lose trophies."
Fernandes made the point that players from previous generations weren't judged on medals, citing Francesco Totti's loyalty to Roma as an example. Totti made 786 appearances for his boyhood club across 25 seasons and won only one Serie A title and two Coppa Italias. Nobody decries that as a waste of time. Instead, Totti is lauded for both his loyalty and his brilliance.
But times have shifted in the age of social media. Look at the ridicule Harry Kane got at Tottenham for not winning trophies. The only person who should be judging whether that loyalty is worth the payoff is the player.
So far, Fernandes has felt it has been worth it and you can see why. Just imagine being the Manchester United captain - not to mention their best player - when they finally win the title again. That one title at Old Trafford would be worth countless others elsewhere.
The reality for Fernandes is that the elusive prize is no closer to being delivered now than it was when he arrived at the club in January 2020. If anything, it is further away.
Fernandes insists he stayed at United because he thinks they can still win trophies. They did reach a European final last season. But within a few weeks of this season starting, there was only one piece of silverware left on the table, in the FA Cup. It is cup competitions which have to be United's aim at the moment.
Nobody could blame Fernandes if he decided this summer that he had had enough of that. If United fail to qualify for the Champions League for the third season in a row, it will only feel like those big prizes are getting further away.
It would be no surprise if Fernandes were to decide enough was enough, and the worry for United is that the longer they go without competing for trophies, the more difficult it can be to attract and keep the best players.