Bruno Fernandes reveals failed transfer to EFL side made him question his ability

Bruno Fernandes came close to joining Watford on loan seven years before signing for Manchester United.

The failed transfer left the Red Devils captain fearing whether he was ‘good enough’ just weeks after securing a move to Serie A.

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Fernandes was lined up for a loan switch to Watford in the summer of 2013 shortly after signing for Italian outfit Udinese.

The two clubs are both owned by the Pozzo family, with players often loaned between them.

After signing Fernandes, then Udinese manager Francesco Guidolin had arranged a move for the Portuguese to the Hornets.

At the time, Watford were managed by Gianfranco Zola, who had guided the club to the Championship play-off final the previous season.

Fernandes’ EFL switch

Fernandes revealed how close he came to joining Watford during an appearance on The Diary of a CEO podcast.

Speaking to Steven Bartlett, he explained: “I was on the edge of coming to Watford on loan, because it’s the same owners.

“We were getting to the edge of the transfer window. They had just bought me and obviously they had a big squad of players.

“They were like, ‘We’re going to send you to Watford, you’re going to be there playing for them.’ 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.

“I was with my girlfriend and she was like, ‘Don’t worry, we’re going to go anywhere else and you’re going to succeed’. And I said, ‘But why can’t I make it here? What did I do wrong?’

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“Why is the manager not looking at me the same and looking at other players? In my head I was like, ‘Have I done something wrong?’

“I have not shown my full potential, I have not shown that I’m good enough to be in this team.

“And I don’t know why, but in the middle of all this the sporting director called me again.

“He said, ‘Bruno, you can’t go anymore. The manager wants you to stay. He says he loves you, he loves your attitude. He wants you to learn from him and understand how he wants to play. He says you might not play much this season but he’s pretty sure you are the type of player that will succeed at this club.’

“Then we had many conversations and he was so good for me. He [Guidolin] was like a father figure.”

Fernandes’ career path

Fernandes went on to make 95 appearances for Udinese after his arrival from Novara.

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Meanwhile, Watford finished 13th in the Championship during the 2013/14 season.

The Hornets won promotion the following season before a five-year stay in the Premier League.

Next season will mark the club’s fifth straight season in the second-tier since their most recent relegation in 2022.

As for Fernandes, he was later sold to Sampdoria in 2016 following an initial loan spell with the club.

After returning to Portugal with Sporting Lisbon a year later, he signed for United in January 2020.

The 31-year-old has since scored 107 goals and provided 108 assists in 327 appearances for the club.

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Fernandes has also won both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup during six and a half years with the Red Devils.

This season also saw him set a new Premier League record for the most assists in a single season.