Arsenal legend Ian Wright insists that he would take Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes at the Emirates Stadium if he left Old Trafford.
The Portuguese midfielder revealed in an interview released earlier this week that Man Utd were keen on selling him in the summer but lacked the “courage” to push through a transfer.
Fernandes had lots of interest from the Saudi Pro League over the summer transfer window, with rumours of offers up to £100m for the Man Utd star.
In the interview, Fernandes said: “Nowadays, the issue of loyalty is no longer seen the way it used to be. I could have left in the last transfer window and would have earned a lot more money. Financially, it would have been much better for me.
“At one point I was going to leave – I won’t say where – but I would have won many trophies that season. I decided to stay not only for family reasons but because I genuinely like the club. The conversation with the coach also made me stay.
“But from the club’s side, I felt a bit of: ‘If you go, it’s not really that bad for us.’ That hurts me a little. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player they have nothing to criticise me for. I’m always available for every match, I always play, whether well or badly. I give my maximum.
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“Then you look around you and see players who don’t value the club as much as you do and who don’t defend the club as much. That makes you sad.”
The Portugal international has been one of the bright sparks for Man Utd in recent seasons, scoring a brilliant free-kick in a 4-4 draw against Bournemouth on Monday night.
Wright has insisted that he would take Fernandes at Arsenal if the Man Utd captain was to leave Old Trafford in the next couple of transfer windows.
Speaking on The Overlap, Wright said: “When you look at Bruno’s quotes, it comes back to Man United being indecisive. So someone comes in for Bruno Fernandes last summer… you shut that down.
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“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.
“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? I would take him tomorrow.”
There are now rumours that Fernandes could leave in the next couple of transfer windows, and talkSPORT insists that the feeling in the Man Utd dressing room is that his interview ‘may be paving the way for his Old Trafford departure’.
The report adds: ‘Sources have told talkSPORT there is a feeling within the Manchester United dressing room that this season could be Fernandes’ last at the club.’
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