Bruno Fernandes is not world class, he shouldn't be captain — John Mikel Obi

Ex-Chelsea midfielder John Obi-Mikel stated that Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is not skipper material. 

Fernandes replaced Harry Maguire as Manchester United's captain at the start of the 2023 campaign. His reign has seen the club win an FA Cup title, but his execution of the leadership role has attracted criticism. 

The 29-year-old recently signed a contract extension with the club, which will keep him at the club until 2027 with the option of a further year. This effectively means his reign as captain will continue for at least four more years; former Nigerian captain Mikel does not deem him worthy of the role, however. 

Speaking as a guest pundit on BeinSport’s Premier League broadcast, the 38-year-old was asked what he thought of Bruno Fernandes. 

Mikel admitted to rating him as a good player, but he does not believe the Portuguese is in the echelon of those tagged World Class. For Mikel, Bruno is a good player, but he is not captain material. 

“For me, as a player, I rate him, but I don't rate him as a world-class player,” Mikel said. 

“I rate him but I don't rate him as a captain. For me, I don't think he's a Manchester United captain.’

Since signing for Manchester United, the former Sporting Lisbon man has led the team in attacking metrics. He was linked with an exit from the club over the summer, but he has now committed his future to the Red Devils.