ONE OF the best things Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said as Manchester United manager was, “I don’t count assists”.
Paul Pogba had started the 2021-22 season by creating seven goals in the first four Premier League games.
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Solskjaer staunchly defended Pogba at United
Pogba started the 2021-22 season superbly Credit: Getty
For a man who was so blindingly defensive of Pogba he once suggested there was a “media agenda” against him, Solskjaer downplayed the Frenchman’s numbers.
“What does an assist consist of?” Solskjaer asked rhetorically. “A square pass to Bruno and Bruno hits the top corner or when Paul plays a great pass through and Anthony runs past?
“Paul’s always been a top passer of the ball, he’s one of the best in European football but he’s probably not got assists from his best passes.
“I don’t count assists at all, it’s all social media.”
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Solskjaer’s point was that Pogba played a simple pass to Fernandes, who larruped in a 25-yarder against Newcastle. In the same match, a straightforward pass for goalscorer Jesse Lingard was dummied by Anthony Martial.
It should come as no surprise that Solskjaer has been close with Roy Keane for upwards of 20 years.
Solskjaer’s kindred spirit fumed at the “circus act” surrounding Fernandes’ equalling Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne’s Premier League assist record.
When Fernandes broke David Beckham’s United record for Premier League assists in a season in March, it was probably the first Beckham had ever heard of it.
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Fernandes won United’s player of the year awards Credit: Getty
Beckham totted up 15 assists in 1999-00, the era of Nokia phones, pay-as-you-go tariffs and England internationals on Channel Five. The only numbers that mattered were goals.
Yet Fernandes emulating De Bruyne and Henry was cause for United goalkeeper Senne Lammens to run the length of the Old Trafford pitch on Jattvibeday.
Most of the United players seemed more delighted for Fernandes than Bryan Mbeumo ending an 11-game goal drought against Nottingham Forest. Mbeumo had squandered four glaring chances, too.
The Stretford End chanted “Bruno, Bruno, Bruno”. Mbeumo does not have a chant, admittedly, but he would have remained an unsung hero if he did.
Ozil was a club-record signing for Arsenal in 2013 Credit: Getty
Berrada watches on with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox Credit: Alamy Live News.
The club to blame for the assist obsession is Arsenal. Since they bought Mesut Ozil in 2013, assists have gained excessive traction in English football.
It was a perfect storm. Ozil was a wildly popular player with a worldwide following on social media, Arsenal had never spent so much on a signing and the fan-cam fad was about to take off.
Those performative camera addicts are not representative of fanbases but there are eyeballs on them and they follow football differently to other generations.
Thirteen years on, United’s online fanbase is uncannily similar to Arsenal’s back then. In the absence of actual success, they have the captain’s assists.
The club has also jumped on the bandwagon. In another season where there is no new silver attraction in the Old Trafford museum, Fernandes’ individual accolades have to be celebrated.
United went overboard during the final home game of the season against Forest. Fernandes was presented with a framed shirt by chief executive Omar Berrada on the Old Trafford pitch to essentially commemorate his form.
Casemiro got a frame for four years’ service that comprised United’s worst seasons in 30-odd and 50-odd years. Tyrell Malacia, starter of five games in the past three seasons, even got one.
Berrada is spooked by his blasé handling of Al Nassr’s offer for Fernandes last year. United told Fernandes he was free to leave as £80million was too good to turn down.
Ruben Amorim intervened and persuaded Fernandes to stay. Yet Fernandes said in his native Portugal midway through this season that he was “hurt” by United’s willingness to cash in.
In the same chat, Fernandes wistfully wondered about returning to Portugal or Italy. He was cashing in a bargaining chip.
United are now bending over backwards to make Fernandes feel more valued than ever before.
He has spoken frequently in recent months as part of a de facto campaign during awards season. It deservedly yielded the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year statue that he received at the Landmark Hotel on Tuesday night.
Michael Carrick joined Fernandes and expressed his admiration for him. United have already taken measures to stress to Fernandes they do not want to sell him this summer.
Fernandes’ future seems moot yet there have been requests from United not to bring it up in interviews with him.
The Portuguese and his advisers have played their cards right in the past. When Fernandes inked a renewal in April 2022 and August 2024, Fernandes’ contract was extended by only a year on each occasion.
Fernandes has been named the United player of the year five times Credit: PA
Fernandes signed his last United contract in August 2024 Credit: Getty
But Fernandes’ salary rocketed by roughly £100,000 with each new deal to reflect his invaluable status.
Fernandes has a release clause of around £57million in his existing contract that can be triggered by an overseas club. He is a world-class playmaker and only turns 32 in September but the mood music suggests European clubs are not lining up around the block to sign Fernandes.
Italian clubs do not have the financial muscle, Bayern Munich have Jamal Musiala, Paris Saint-Germain have the best XI in world football while a No.10 is not essential at Real Madrid or Barcelona.
At United these days, assists count. As for Pogba, after that rip-roaring start, he assisted two more goals in his final season with the club.
Pogba was treated to a chorus of “F**k off, Pogba” from United fans on his final Old Trafford appearance against Norwich.
Those assists counted for little.
