Bruno Fernandes Expresses Disappointment Over Rice's Move to Arsenal

Bruno Fernandes admitted that he wished Declan Rice had signed for Manchester United before the England midfielder joined Arsenal from West Ham. Rice had signed for Arsenal for a club-record £105m in 2023 and became an integral part of Mikel Arteta's squad as the Gunners competed for their first league title since 2004. This season, particularly with Arsenal closing in on the league title, Rice had established himself as one of the league’s outstanding players.

Fernandes, who scored eight goals this season, was a close contender for the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year award, finishing first with 45 percent of the votes, just 28 votes ahead of Rice. While speaking to JoelBeyaTV (via Sky Sports) shortly after his FWA win, Fernandes expressed his admiration for Rice, with whom he trained during a summer camp in Portugal hosted by Apex Football Performance in 2023.

"I admire him a lot," Fernandes said, reflecting on their time together. He further elaborated on his thoughts about Rice, stating, "I always thought that Rice was a player to play for Man United, and I was really sad when he chose to go to Arsenal. I didn’t know if there was the opportunity or the chance for him to come to Manchester United, but I always thought that he would be a perfect fit for our club. It’s not just about the players, but for the person he is, for the professional. He showed me that he is and for his personality. And I think what he’s been doing this season is great."