Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has recalled his time as Bruno Fernandes’ captain at Udinese, highlighting the Portuguese midfielder’s exceptional work ethic and determination during the early stages of his career.

Agyemang-Badu’s comments were shared by GTV Sports Plus as he reflected on Fernandes’ development before the midfielder went on to become one of the leading figures in European football.

The Ghanaian played alongside Fernandes at Udinese, where the Portuguese midfielder arrived as a young player looking to establish himself at the highest level.

According to Agyemang-Badu, Fernandes stood out not only because of his technical ability but also because of the mentality he displayed away from matchdays.

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“I was his captain at Udinese. He had so much quality, was mentally strong and worked extremely hard. He would arrive at training at 7 am to work on his game. When I saw his progress, I wasn’t surprised,” Agyemang-Badu said.

Fernandes spent three seasons with Udinese between 2013 and 2016, making more than 90 appearances for the Italian club before continuing his career in Italy with Sampdoria.

His performances eventually earned him a move to Sporting CP, where he developed into one of Portugal’s most influential midfielders.

The midfielder joined Manchester United in January 2020 and quickly became a key player for the English giants, eventually taking on the club captaincy.

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