09 September 2023 , 09:35
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was justified in his passionate reply to those comparing him to ex-Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe.
The Red Devils midfield maestro arrived at Old Trafford in 2020 and many had high expectations for what Fernandes could achieve. They were justified in their stance, as we now know given the level the Portugal international has managed to operate at for the entire duration of his United stay.
However, Fernandes has previously spoken about how some prominent pundits may have expected him to take "one or two years" to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League as that is what they expect of any foreign talent arriving in the English top flight.
Fernandes went on to cite the comparisons between him and Gunners winger Pepe, who arrived at the Emirates for a fee of £72million six months before the ex-Sporting ace touched down in the red half of Manchester.
Speaking to the Athletic last year, the 29-year-old explained: "He [Pepe] had some bad games and everyone was saying, ‘He still has to adapt’, but when Bruno was having a bad game, it was just because he was moaning or not focused on the game. For me, that was good, because it meant that I was ready and that’s why they were demanding so much from me."
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Fernandes was certainly more ready than Pepe, who has since confirmed his Arsenal departure and his move to Trabzonspor. The Ivorian took to Instagram to announce the news, in a post that read: "Very happy to arrive in this country of football."
Pepe continued: "New challenge for me, looking forward to getting back on the pitch and with the team bringing Trabzonspor to the top of the league!"
HAVE YOUR SAY! Why did things not work out for Pepe at Arsenal? Comment below
Bruno Fernandes has previously addressed comparisons between Nicolas Pepe and himself (Manchester United/Youtube)He bids farewell to Arsenal with a record of 27 goals in 112 games, an underwhelming return for someone who cost the club so much. At the time of his signing, Pepe cost the Gunners a club-record fee that stood for four years before Declan Rice's £105m switch earlier this summer.
Towards the end of his time at Arsenal, Pepe's relationship with boss Mikel Arteta is believed to have soured after the Ivory Coast international was left out of squads and not given any first-team minutes. In stark contrast, Fernandes now dons the armband for United and is one of the first names on the team sheet in the eyes of manager Erik ten Hag.