Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has admitted that one current Premier League manager is a coach that he ‘appreciates’ and admires his “passion” and “intensity.”
Bruno Fernandes has been widely hailed for his impact in the Premier League after Manchester United snapped him up in an initial £47m deal from Sporting CP in 2020.
The 29-year-old Portugal midfielder was a key figure under former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was axed from the Premier League club in 2021.
Erik ten Hag, who succeeded Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United’s permanent manager, has been a big admirer of Fernandes and handed the Red Devils star a bigger role.
The United manager stripped Harry Maguire of the armband last summer and appointed Fernandes as club captain for the current Premier League campaign.
Despite his ascendency to club captain, Fernandes has come under criticism over his behaviour on the pitch and his leadership skills have come under question.
However, the Portugal international has retained the full support of Red Devils boss Ten Hag and remains a key figure in the United first team.
Fernandes has crossed paths with his fair share of managers in his playing career, but the United skipper has admitted that he is a big fan of one coach.
Man Utd star Fernandes praises Premier League manager
Bruno Fernandes has dropped rare praise on Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who is set to leave Anfield at the end of the current Premier League season.
Jurgen Klopp, who was once tipped as a successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, left Borussia Dortmund in 2015 and arrived at Manchester United’s fierce rivals Liverpool.
The 56-year-old German has had an impressive spell at Anfield, including lifting a Premier League title, a Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups.
Klopp has been involved in a heated Premier League rivalry with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who has come out on top with more league trophy wins.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss is locked in another heated Premier League title race with Pep Guardiola – along with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta – this season.
Speaking to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Fernandes admitted that Liverpool boss Klopp is one of the coaches that he holds in high admiration.
“We are talking about a coach who is one of the ones I most appreciate, for the intensity he brings to games and the passion he has for football,” he said.
“I think what he did now is yet another demonstration of how much he loves football.
“He feels that, if he is not at his best, he is not giving his best to the game. And I think a little like that too, in the same way as him, probably.”
Fernandes talks Liverpool boss Klopp
Liverpool’s hopes of securing a quadruple in Klopp’s final season at the club were thwarted after United secured a stunning 4-3 FA Cup win over Liverpool on Sunday.
Fernandes, who raved about one unsung United hero in the FA Cup tie, admitted that Klopp has already etched his place in the history books at Anfield.
“He is a coach who changed the dynamics of Liverpool, who brought hope to the club,” he continued.
“If we look at it, Klopp is the coach who has probably won the fewest titles and, even so, achieved the most in terms of the passion of the world of football, the passion of the fans, the transformation he brought to a club.
“He won big titles, he won the Premier League, the Champions League, and some cups, but the biggest prize he will take away from these years will be the flame, the passion and the new dynamics he brought and which made Liverpool once again believe in being [a] champion, in being able to fight for titles, in being among the best.
“That’s something that no-one will ever take away from Klopp. We are talking about another coach who really influences my passion for football.”