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Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes capped off a spectacular season by setting a new Premier League record for the most assists in a single campaign. His individual brilliance earned him several major honours, but not everyone was impressed — former United captain Roy Keane was quick to play down the midfielder’s success.

Keane had previously dismissed Fernandes’ pursuit of the record as a “circus act” and even misrepresented his post-match comments after the Brighton fixture. The ex-midfielder claimed Fernandes had admitted to passing instead of shooting to boost his assist tally, accusing him of prioritising statistics over team performance.

Fernandes swiftly responded, clarifying that while he welcomes fair criticism, he dislikes when pundits spread falsehoods about him. Keane then posted a cryptic message on social media, clearly directed at the Portuguese playmaker.

The public disagreement briefly overshadowed Fernandes’ achievements, with headlines focusing more on the feud than his record-breaking season. However, according to reports from the Irish News, Keane has now disclosed that the two held a private conversation after the exchange, which seems to have resolved their differences.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane shared that they had what he described as a “nice, mature conversation” that helped smooth things over. “There was a reaction after what we said on the podcast a few weeks ago and he reached out to me for a chat… I called him and we had a lovely conversation. We spoke about a bit of everything. It was nice because sometimes when you speak on a show or during commentary, things don’t always come across as you mean them, and people get upset. He wanted to talk and we cleared the air,” Keane explained.

The Irishman added that this isn’t the first time players have contacted him over his comments. While he usually prefers to maintain professional boundaries with current players, Keane felt it was “important” to engage directly with Fernandes, describing their discussion as enjoyable.

“There’s been a lot said and written. He’s a major player for United, and I’m a former United player. So having that communication and a proper chat — I really enjoyed it. Hopefully he did too. We talked about a range of things, and I felt better afterwards,” Keane added.

Keane’s friction with Fernandes is one of several instances of tension between United legends and the current squad. Gary Neville recently faced fan backlash over his punditry and commentary, while Paul Scholes has also drawn criticism for his sharp remarks about present-day players.

Admittedly, there’s been little to celebrate at Old Trafford in recent years, with the glory days of the Class of ’92 long behind them. Nevertheless, supporters have every reason to be frustrated by the harsh tone of some former stars.

Michael Carrick, now permanently appointed as United’s head coach after a promising interim spell, is tasked with guiding the club into a new era. Despite Keane previously taking a swipe at Carrick and his wife, the former midfielder’s solid start and rapport with ex-teammates should earn him a level of respect not always extended to others.

With pre-season preparations underway, Carrick’s side will be eager to start the new campaign strongly. The full fixture list for the upcoming season is expected to be released in the coming weeks.