Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy reckons Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes wouldn't start over Martin Odegaard if he were playing for Arsenal.
Bruno Fernandes scored a stunning hat-trick in United's 5-2 win over Ipswich Town last weekend. He has been the Red Devils' talisman since arriving from Sporting CP back in January 2020.
Last season, Fernandes broke the all-time assist record in a single Premier League campaign, surpassing Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne with 21 assists. He won the PFA Player of the Year award after starring throughout the 2025-26 season.
Fernandes' exploits for United have convinced many that he'd get into any Premier League team. Cundy disagrees, though, as he thinks Odegaard would remain Mikel Arteta's first-choice number 10.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Cundy got into a debate with co-host Jamie O'Hara:
"Four years ago Odegaard was the best number 10 in the country. Where was Bruno then? He wasn't doing what he was doing last season. Over the last 12 months he's been better than Odegaard."
Odegaard has been Arsenal's captain and starting number 10 since joining the Gunners from Real Madrid initially on loan in January 2021. He endured an injury-ridden season last term but has been back to his best at the start of this campaign with two goals in three games across competitions.
Cundy added:
"What did Bruno do at the World Cup? Who had a better World Cup?"
Fernandes experienced a difficult World Cup campaign with Portugal, unable to replicate his performances that saw him fire United to Champions League qualification. On the flip side, Odegaard captained Norway to a remarkable quarter-final finish and played an instrumental role in a stunning win over Brazil.
Bruno Fernandes vs Martin Odegaard - An Interesting Comparison
Fernandes is undoubtedly the best playmaker in the Premier League, and he's spent years playing in an underperforming United side. It begs the question how he'd fare in a team like Arsenal, which cruised to the Premier League title last season.
That said, Odegaard has started this season on a mission to remind his doubters what he brings to Arteta's side. His performance in a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield was one of his best, and if he continues in such fashion, he will be back competing with Fernandez for the status as the best creative midfielder in the top flight.
| Stat | Bruno Fernandes | Martin Ødegaard |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 232 | 178 |
| Goals | 74 | 36 |
| Assists | 73 | 37 |
| Expected goals | 74.4 | 29.3 |
| Expected assists | 60.9 | 37.4 |
| Shots | 439 | 195 |
| Passes | 12,722 | 7,961 |
| Touches | 17,314 | 10,212 |
Arteta clearly likes the Norweigan, having refused to listen to pressure to hand the captain's armband to either Declan Rice or Gabriel Magalhaes. Some questioned whether the 27-year-old possessed the leadership qualities for a team competing for the title.
Odegaard and Fernandes are special talents who shine in their respective teams. It would be interesting to see whether Arteta would prefer the Portuguese midfield maestro if the Gunners ever signed him.
