Keane blasts Fernandes and Maguire for 'podcasting' as Martinez outburst rocks United

Roy Keane has turned his fire on Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire, accusing Manchester United’s dressing room leaders of neglecting their responsibilities after Lisandro Martinez publicly criticised the club’s hierarchy in the wake of Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Martinez sparked the controversy by questioning United’s lack of investment in the summer transfer window, singling out technical director Jason Wilcox for criticism and raising concerns about the overall quality of the squad. His comments ignited a broader debate about leadership at Old Trafford.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane was scathing about the response — or lack of it — from the club’s senior figures. “Bruno, Maguire… They’re probably busy doing podcasts, I can’t imagine them pulling him,” he said. “Bruno’s body language, he doesn’t seem a happy lad at the moment. They’re pulling nobody. This reflects where Manchester United are and where this dressing room is.”

Keane also took aim at Maguire’s mindset following his omission from the England squad. “Maguire gets left out of the England squad — he’s all upset with that. Instead of rolling his sleeves up during the summer, he goes to New York and does a podcast for a few weeks. That’s his mindset.”

The former United captain then addressed Fernandes directly, referencing an appearance the club captain made on Steven Bartlett’s podcast. “Bruno goes on there, has a little dig at me — no problem, he’s entitled to respond. But that’s the mindset of a Man United player: I’m going to start doing these little gigs instead of getting Man United competing at the very top.”

Keane drew a contrast with his own playing days, arguing that internal discipline has collapsed. “Back in our day it was more magazines than podcasts, but if a player went off and said something, even silly, he’d come in the dressing room and lads would say: ‘What are you talking about?’ You’d put him in his place — not a big bust-up.”

He was equally dismissive of Martinez’s public venting, placing it in the context of United’s recent struggles. “Man United is a circus,” Keane said. “These players have done nothing for the last few years. Two years ago we were finishing 15th or whatever, getting knocked out by Grimsby, and they’re coming up with all these comments. Try and do your talking on the pitch.”