Fernandes: I want Fergie to tell me how I can improve

Bruno Fernandes has been a revelation for Manchester United since signing in January 2020. His goal against Liverpool last week takes him to 28 in all competitions this season, breaking the record for the highest scoring midfielder, with one more goal than Frank Lampard in 2009-10.

However, the midfielder knows there are areas of his game to improve on and has revealed in an interview with Inside United that his biggest regret to date is not having a proper conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson, who he’d love to hear from on what he needs to work on.

That is one of my biggest regrets in the club until now. I met him already but never had the chance to speak with him like I would like to do. I think everyone who watched Manchester United in the past remembers Sir Alex. [That is true] for me, growing up and seeing the club, being a fan of the club and seeing the development of the team. I would like to have a conversation with him and understand, from his point of view, what he thinks about me and what I can improve or still improve in my game to be better.

When asked which attributes he would like to take from one of his teammates, he singled out Marcus Rashford for his pace and agility.

I don’t know honestly as we have so many qualities in the team. I think I’m not the slowest player in the world but if I would have the pace of Rashy, honestly, I would be a Ballon d’Or [winner] already. With the pace he has, oh my God, he’s unbelievable. It’s incredible the way he is and, when I talk about pace, it’s about running with the ball and without the ball, and, at the same time, the pace in his feet. The quality he has, the moves he has and the agility he has to come away from difficult situations. It’s unbelievable.

While players may have their hobbies like playing on Mystino, Fernandes is football obsessed and spends his free time playing football computer games or watching matches. He grew up as a football fanatic and when asked in an earlier interview who his ideal 5-a-side team of Portuguese players, he chose those he grew up watching as a child.

In goal, for me, we have good goalkeepers but the one I see more and the one I think who was, for many years, doing well for the national team was Rui Patricio. And, because he won the Euros with us, for me he will be in our memories because that game he did in the final was superb. Defenders, I would put just one so it’s hard to choose one. So I’m between, we have a lot Jorge Costa, Fernando Couto, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho. It’s difficult to choose one but I will choose Ricardo Carvalho – because I think he’s an elegant player, such a good player. I think he’s one of the best we have in the Portugal in the past. In the middle, I can go with two creative players. No, I can’t go with two creative players because I need Cristiano and Figo up front. So I just have one place for a midfielder. I go with Cristiano and Figo up front because, of course, two Ballon d’Or [winners], you have to choose them. In midfield, I’m between Deco and Rui Costa. This is a hard one. I could choose another one so there is no competition between them! But I will choose. Not myself for sure now, for now, maybe I will fight Rui Costa and Deco to be in that five-a-side! Argh, I will choose Rui Costa. I really like Deco and Deco, for me, at the time I grew up, was the top no.10 you can follow by elegance by everything but I think Rui Costa was a top player playing for a time in Italy. If you go to Italy now and ask some fans of Fiorentina and AC Milan, they talk about him like he was a top player. So, okay, I will choose Rui Costa so Rui Patricio, Ricardo Carvalho, Rui Costa, Figo and, of course, Ronaldo.