Manchester City
Premier League • England
Fernandinho hints at future plans with reason for lengthy Man City stay revealed
Fernandinho is refusing to rule out a return to Manchester City at some stage after confessing his love for the fans ahead of his final game for the club.
The 37-year-old will play his 383rd game for the Citizens when they host Aston Villa on Sunday. And the Brazilian will then return to his homeland after nine years of service with the north-west giants. It has been an incredible stint for the midfielder since arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in June 2013.
The South American has 11 major trophies to his name in Man City colours – six EFL Cups, four league titles and the 2018-2019 FA Cup. He will move above David Silva to become the club’s most decorated player if they beat Aston Villa this weekend.
And Fernandinho has made it clear just what the supporters mean to him as he prepares for his finale.
“The fans have been amazing since my first day here,” he told the club’s official website. “Really respectful, polite, supportive. Every time I go into town or the park for a walk with my kids, they show their respect and their support.
“This is amazing and really nice. I am not sure if you can find fans like this in another place or other teams. My family and I were always treated really well here in Manchester.
“That is why I spent nine years here as the kids were settled in school with friends, my wife was settled as well. It was really important to keep me calm to do my job on the pitch.”
Fernandinho always a Blue
Fernandinho has played a huge part in City’s rise to the top of the English game. The proverbial ‘box-to-box’ midfielder, he has chipped in with 26 goals since his £34m arrival from Ukraine.
Game time has inevitably diminished with age but he remains a vital cog in the City machine. He will receive a vociferous send off from the Citizens faithful this weekend.
And, after admitting how much his children love the club, it appears as though it may not be the last the supporters see of him.
“They (kids) are going to be City fans for sure. I could be Mancunian,” he continued. “You never know in the future. Maybe I could come back here to spend more time in Manchester. We will see.”
Fernandinho will be missed by team-mates and fans alike but manager Pep Guardiola has a knack of finding the right replacement.