Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has opened up on one of the most uncertain moments of his early career, admitting he questioned whether he was even good enough as a teenager.

The Portuguese midfielder, now regarded as one of the Premier League’s elite creators, revealed he was close to leaving Udinese only weeks after joining the club in 2013.

Fernandes had signed from Novara at the age of 19 after being identified by then-manager Francesco Guidolin. However, with Udinese having a large squad and uncertainty over his immediate role, it quickly left the midfielder questioning his future.

Speaking on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, Fernandes reflected on the moment his confidence took a major hit before his career stepped up a gear.

Bruno Fernandes Nearly Joined EFL Championship Club

The midfielder admitted he had already packed his bags after being informed he would likely leave on loan before the transfer window closed.

Watford, owned by the Pozzo family, who have famously sacked 22 managers in 14 years of ownership, also owned Udinese until 2025. During the summer of 2013, seven of Udinese’s players made their way to England to join the Hornets, and Fernandes was supposed to be the eighth, much to his dismay:

“I was like, ‘What have I done? I wasn’t good enough?’ They called me to the hotel to pack my stuff, because it was the last days of the window. I packed my stuff.”

Despite his concerns, Udinese sporting director Cristiano Giaretta eventually contacted him to confirm the move was off, with Guidolin deciding he wanted the youngster to remain at the club.

From a Potential Watford Move to Manchester United Captain

The decision proved to be a major turning point in Fernandes’ career. After developing further at Udinese, he later joined Sampdoria on loan in 2016, before making the move that truly elevated his reputation, when he returned home to Portugal and joined Sporting Lisbon.

Man Utd signed Fernandes in January 2020 for £47 million, with the playmaker quickly becoming one of the club’s standout performers during what’s been a difficult period for the Red Devils. He was named club captain just three years later and has since established himself as one of the Premier League’s most productive midfielders.

Fernandes has now made 327 appearances for United, scoring 107 goals and providing 108 assists across all competitions.

The Portugal international also enjoyed a record-breaking Premier League campaign this season, registering his 21st assist on the final day to set a new record for the most assists in a single season.

Arsenal may have won the Premier League title this season, and they have a Champions League final to come this weekend, but they are not ready to rest on their laurels.

The Gunners are understood to be keen to strengthen their squad this summer despite their excellent campaign, with Mikel Arteta looking to bolster the side and add more quality and competition for places.

But he is also looking towards the future for his signings, as are the club higher ups, and they now have confidence that they are set to seal the arrival of one of the best young talents in England ahead of some direct rivals.

Arsenal Confident of Sealing Jeremy Monga Deal

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are growing in confidence that they can seal a deal for Leicester City starlet Jeremy Monga this summer.

The winger, who has been described as ‘the next Ousmane Dembele’, is expected to leave the King Power Stadium after they were relegated to League One after a nightmare campaign, and he has attracted the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs.

However, Monga is understood to be intent on staying in England at this stage of his career, and the 16-year-old winger is believed to be closer to a move to north London, despite interest from Man City and Manchester United.

Offers have been tabled and talks held, but Arsenal’s pathway plans, development structure, and recent success with involving elite young talents in the first-team picture are all understood to have made a big impression in the winger and the team around him.

Leicester expect to lose the forward following their relegation, and Arsenal are now very confident that Monga will be the next elite talent to come off their conveyor belt and into the first-team.

Monga a Major Coup for Arsenal

Arsenal have got some of the best young players in the world in their squad at the moment. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, Marli Salmon, and Ethan Nwaneri are all in and around the first-team at the Emirates Stadium, and have all been given opportunities by Arteta.

So it’s no surprise that Monga, who has excelled in a poor Leicester team as a teenager, would be excited about the prospect of making the move to the reigning Premier League champions, and continue his fine development in the coming years.

His skill set is excellent for a top club, and beating off direct rivals to secure his arrival would be the cherry on top of the cake.

Neymar’s hopes of leading Brazil at the 2026 World Cup have been thrown into doubt after confirmation that the forward has suffered a grade two muscle injury in his right calf, just three weeks before the tournament begins.

The Brazilian superstar picked up the injury ahead of Brazil’s opening match against Morocco at MetLife Stadium on the 13th of June, leaving fans concerned over whether he’ll be fit in time for the competition, with the injury carrying a 2-3 week recovery time.

Despite the setback, the Brazilian Football Confederation isn’t considering Neymar’s removal from the squad for the time being. Instead, the plan for the 33-year-old is to undergo treatment over the coming days before another scan takes place on the 12th of June in New Jersey.

FIFA regulations allow teams to replace injured players up to 24 hours before their opening fixture, meaning Brazil technically has until the day of the scan to make a final decision on Neymar’s availability.

Neymar Facing Race Against Time for the World Cup

Under FIFA rules, any replacement must first be approved by the organisation’s medical committee, with federations required to provide evidence that a player is unable to take part in the tournament (per ESPN Brazil).

That leaves Brazil with a difficult balancing act. If Neymar isn’t fit, but remains in the squad beyond the deadline, the Selecao risk carrying a player who isn’t capable of contributing during the World Cup at all.

The situation is particularly worrying given Neymar’s history with injuries during major tournaments. He’s not featured for Brazil since 2023 and has spent time out injured in two of the last three World Cups.

Even if he recovers in time to stay in the squad, there’s no guarantee Neymar will be able to perform at his usual level straight away, if at all.

Who Could Replace Neymar in Brazil’s Squad?

Should Brazil decide they can’t risk taking Neymar, any replacement would need to come from the provisional 55-man squad already submitted to FIFA.

Several attacking options are available to manager Carlo Ancelotti, including Premier League quartet Gabriel Jesus, Igor Jesus, Joao Pedro and Richarlison. Former Manchester United winger Antony is also part of the men ready to step in, alongside Kaio Jorge, Pedro, and Samuel Lino, who play in the Brazilian Serie A.

Gabriel Jesus possesses World Cup experience and versatility across the front line, while Richarlison has previously delivered for Brazil on the international stage, particularly during the 2022 World Cup, where he won the Goal of the Tournament.

Joao Pedro could also be an intriguing option after impressing in the Premier League and the Club World Cup in his first season for Chelsea. His omission from the Brazil squad came as a surprise to everyone, with most feeling as though he was guaranteed to make the squad before Ancelotti’s announcement 10 days ago.

As it stands, Brazil remain hopeful Neymar will recover in time, but with the deadline fast approaching, the pressure is growing ahead of the World Cup, and there’s a host of fine players ready to step up in his place.