Emmanuel Petit has described Bruno Fernandes as ‘a diva’ who should be Manchester United captain.
The Portuguese star is the beating heart of Erik ten Hag‘s side having scored 79 goals and offered 67 assists in 237 appearances so far.
4
While his output can’t be questioned, it’s his antics off the ball that have irked Petit.
The French World Cup winner – who famously played for Arsenal, Chelsea an Barcelona – was discussing Manchester United and the caliber of players within Ten Hag’s.
It was then that he gave his frank assessment on Fernandes and why he’s not the right character to lead the Red Devils.
Speaking on Drive, Petit said: “I think he’s a good player but I think he’s a diva.
“He acts like a diva sometimes, not like a captain – he wears the armband but if I’m honest with you, if I’m a teammate in the dressing room and you see the way he’s behaving sometimes on the pitch with his arms all the time complaining, you don’t want that from your captain.
“You don’t want that from your teammate and you don’t expect that from your leaders.
“I was very impressed during COVID-19 without fans in the ground because he was amazing game after game but he signed a new contract and I saw him with Portugal as well and sometimes I get annoyed when I watch him on TV.
“I just want to get into the TV and just play in front of him as an opponent to shake him on the pitch.”
Asked who he would prefer to see as Man United captain, Petit replied: “It’s hard to find because the best player so far this season is the youngest one (Kobbie Mainoo), or even (Alejandro) Garnacho.
“I think Mainoo has the potential to wear the armband but he’s too young.”
4
4
4
Alan Pardew supported Petit’s view that Fernandes should have the captaincy taken off him.
Speaking earlier this month, he told talkSPORT: “You’ve got your skipper out there, you’ve got a technical skipper, when you’ve got a technician as a skipper, I think it’s always dangerous because they’re going to have off games.
“I actually think it would be better for him as a footballer to take it off him.
“I think it might free him up a bit, let him be a bit more free-minded.
“He’s probably worrying about the back four, worrying about the wingers. You don’t really know how to deal with it.
“I don’t know, I think it’s a hamper to him.”
Fernandes and Man United are next in action on Saturday lunchtime when they face Southampton exclusively live on talkSPORT.
JOIN THE DUGOUT
Have your say on all things talkSPORT by joining ‘The DUGOUT’ – our new listener panel.
We’re all about diving deep into your perspectives, and making sure talkSPORT is the absolute best it can be. Your voice matters, and we want to hear it!
Pitch your game-changing ideas, and join in with fun surveys, polls, and locker-room discussions.
Just by joining, you’ll enter a prize draw to win one of four £50 Amazon vouchers, with another prize draw entry for every survey you complete after that
To join the ‘The DUGOUT’ panel, please click here.
