Bruno Fernandes has hit back at Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s suggestion that some Manchester United players are overpaid by telling the British billionaire “the club agrees to do the contracts.”
Fernandes was praised by Ratcliffe during a round of interviews this week with the 72-year-old describing the United captain as a “fabulous footballer.”
However, other squad members were branded as “not good enough” and “overpaid.”
After scoring a hat trick to help seal a 5-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday, Fernandes defended his teammates.
“It’s not nice to hear certain things obviously,” Fernandes said. “I don’t think that any player likes to hear criticism or things that are talked about to you, that you’re not good enough or you’re overpaid or whatever.
“Everyone has their own contract. The club agrees to do the contracts at the time you come here or at the time you do a new contract or whatever and it’s about yourself proving that you can be important for the club.”
While Fernandes was lauded by Ratcliffe this week, the Portugal midfielder has been on the end of fierce criticism from Roy Keane.
The former United captain said Fernandes “is not a fighter” while telling the 30-year-old that “talent is not enough.”
Fernandes has been crucial during a run of poor form for Ruben Amorim’s team, scoring six goals in his last six games. He has also been directly involved in 11 of United’s last 13 goals.
But given the chance to respond to Keane after the win over Real Sociedad, Fernandes insisted all he could do was try to alter Keane’s view with his performances.
“Everyone has an opinion and that’s fine,” he said. “I can’t change the minds of people. Like everything I have to do is go on the pitch and try to do the best I can for the club.
“Roy Keane was an amazing captain for the club, one of the best as everyone says. He’s massively respected by everyone and has all my respect. He has to give his opinion in a programme and this is what he thinks about me.
“What I’m doing on the pitch to try to change his mind, or trying to do something that he probably sees as a good thing. Obviously, I do it in my own way, I don’t want to copy anyone.
“I have a lot of things to improve, not only as a captain but as a player, as a person, as a human being and that’s fine.
“Criticism is going to be always part and it’s going to make me grow and understand that there’s still a long way to go.”
