"I'm underwhelmed by him" - Simon Jordan says 'show pony' Bruno Fernandes embodies Manchester United's 'ahead of themselves' mentality

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has lashed out at Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes. The talkSPORT host feels the Portuguese is a luxury player for the Red Devils.

Fernandes joined the Premier League giants from Primeira Liga outfit Sporting Lisbon for an initial sum of £47 million in January 2020. He has since been a key player for the side, scoring 49 and assisting 39 goals from 117 appearances across all competitions.

As per reports, the Red Devils are now set to reward him with a new long-term contract. Fernandes will soon put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the club, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Jordan, though, has insisted that he has been unimpressed by the 27-year-old this season. The former Crystal Palace chief also doubts whether Fernandes would have had a place in the Red Devils' great teams of the past. He told talkSPORT:

“I am underwhelmed by him, I thought there was a period of time where he was very talismanic for Manchester United. But it was a false dawn for the club and the manager, and subsequently what has he been able to achieve moving forward?"

“I wonder in the great Manchester United teams of the past, I know we don’t want to live in the past, but you can’t help that with teams that have achieved so much. I wonder if he would have gotten into teams of that nature.”

Jordan went on to claim that Fernandes has been a 'show pony' for the Old Trafford outfit this campaign. He has been displeased by some of the Portugal international's antics. He said:

“He has been a show pony for periods of this season, been okay, but most of the time, I can’t get the image of him out of my head of against Watford, the appalling performance on the pitch, and the nonsense, histrionics and the rubbish behind Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s back."

“If we are looking at his previous record where he started on fire, he was revelation when he walked through the door, the more you look at him, the more you study things, the more I have been less impressed by him."

Jordan is of the view that Fernandes is not a leader on the pitch and does not work hard enough for the team. He thus feels the attacker is the epitome of the Red Devils' overconfident attitude. He said:

“I think he embodies that ‘ahead of themselves’ mentality. He talks a very good game, outlook and disposition – but Manchester United need people delivering a good game."

“He is not a leader on the pitch, doesn’t work hard enough, doesn’t do enough off the ball, doesn’t track back. He is a luxury player and, for a United side that needs more substance, I think he embodies certain aspects as to why they are not good enough as a team."

The talkSPORT host is not pleased that Manchester United are handing a new contract to a player when they are still on the hunt for a new permanent manager.

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How has Fernandes fared for Manchester United this season?

Fernandes made a bright start to the Red Devils' 2021-22 campaign. He scored a hat-trick in the team's Premier League opener against Leeds United back in August.

However, the midfielder's form appears to have dipped since then. Fernandes has scored nine goals and provided 14 assists from 37 appearances across all competitions so far.

The Red Devils currently face the threat of missing out on a fourth-place finish in the league. They currently sit sixth in the table, with 50 points from 29 matches and are four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.