Gary Pallister believes Bruno Fernandes deserves Ballon d'Or recognition

This level of consistency and dedication to United has been a mainstay of Bruno’s role as a leader. During our interview with Lee Sharpe, the former winger entertained what appeared to be an impending exit from Fernandez. As Pallister notes, he has stuck around and proven his commitment.

"Bruno Fernandes still has the hunger and drive to compete at the top level,” he said. "He could’ve taken the big bucks last year and gone to Saudi, but instead, he’s cemented himself into the hearts and minds of all Manchester United fans; he’s been a continuous shining light ever since he joined the club. If he were playing for Manchester City, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, he’d be in the conversation to win the Ballon d’Or - he’s that good.”

Much has happened since we last discussed the Red Devils on the BetBrain blog. In our conversation with Gus Poyet, the Uruguayan ex-midfielder mentioned how former manager Ruben Amorim had to manage Garnacho’s eventual exit. It’s just another proof of how team stability is far from a no deposit bonus, given the turbulence that has happened since then.

“For a number of years now, he’s played in a sub-par Man United team, but he has always stood out from the rest. Qualifying for the Champions League would be a great motivator for Bruno to continue performing at the level he is. With the right recruitment in the summer, I don’t see a reason why the club can’t challenge for the Premier League title, especially if Bruno remains as a core part of the team.”

However, it remains important that the club keeps investing in the squad, and the spending strategy depends on who will keep the full-time job of Man United gaffer. Transfers are certainly increasingly expensive, not free spins made every summer. Bruno still has the quality to be a leader who deserves to be part of a successful team.