Premier League
MAN UNITED SUIT MY WINNING MENTALITY, SAYS FERNANDES
Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United suit his mentality because they are “a club who wants to win everything” as he marks his one-year anniversary at the Premier League leaders this week.
The 26-year-old Portuguese international has transformed the fortunes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side since joining from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
His winner in Sunday’s (Jan 24) thrilling 3-2 win over Liverpool in their FA Cup fourth-round tie was his 28th goal for United.
“I come to the club because I knew I will come to a club who wants to win everything – and my mentality, my way to be in my life and football is about winning,” Fernandes told the Press Association news agency.
“And so you have to be confident, you have to trust your team-mates, you have to trust yourself, and you have to believe.
“And I will believe until it’s not more possible, you know? Like when I see someone get the trophy before me, then I will (have) lost my belief.”
Fernandes’ winning mentality is fuelled by his hatred of losing.
“I don’t conform with losing games is normal stuff,” he said. “For me, losing is not normal so my mentality comes from that.”
United have lost four semi-finals since the Portuguese arrived at Old Trafford, the latest earlier this month in the League Cup to Manchester City.
The club have not won the league since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and they last won silverware in 2017.
Fernandes, who has faced criticism over his recent performances, came off the bench to score with a thumping free-kick against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on Sunday.
The midfielder denied he was beginning to feel the strain of a punishing season.
“Tired? With 26 years old I can’t be tired,” he said. “If I’m tired now, when I arrive at 30, 32, I will not play. I will play one game in five so, no, I’m not tired.
“Of course the coach (Solskjaer) knows what is better for the team and (for the FA Cup tie) he choose to play with Donny (van de Beek) to give some freshness to the team.”
-AFP
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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