Fernandes On Rice Transfer: Bruno Says £100m Move Saddened Him

Bruno Fernandes said he was really sad Declan Rice chose Arsenal over Manchester United, a blunt admission in fernandes on rice transfer that revisits one of the Premier League’s biggest midfield calls. Fernandes said he had always thought Rice would be a perfect fit for Manchester United, where the club had once viewed him as a target.

“I’ve always said, Rice was a player to play for Man United, I was really sad when he chose to go Arsenal,” Fernandes said in an interview with the Football Writers’ Association. “I always thought he would be a perfect fit for our club.”

Fernandes and Rice

Fernandes’ comments land with more weight because Rice is in the running to win the Ballon d’Or this year, and his performances for Arsenal have put them on the brink of an historic Premier League, Champions League double. That has turned a past transfer decision into a present point of regret for United, who saw a player they admired end up strengthening a rival instead.

Rice was strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford through much of his time at West Ham. Manchester United were preparing for the possible exit of Paul Pogba in 2021, and Rice was among the names tied to the vacancy in midfield before he completed his £100m move to Arsenal from West Ham two years later.

Solskjaer on Rice

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said discussions were held over a possible move for Rice during his time at Old Trafford. “Yeah, [there was interest] I really, really like him as a player,” Solskjaer said on the Stick to Football podcast. “We discussed him a few times and I think we would have done well with him in midfield.”

He added two reasons that fit the profile United were weighing at the time: “I think his legs, covering the pitch.” “I think he improved a lot on his playmaking as well.” Rice’s rise since then has only sharpened the contrast between what United wanted and what Arsenal secured, and Fernandes’ reaction shows the club still sees that miss through the lens of how well the midfielder matched their needs.