Former Manchester United defender Fosu-Mensah has been without a club since leaving Leverkusen. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, the player discussed Michael Carrick, Bruno Fernandes, and other related topics.
Former Manchester United defender Fosu-Mensah is not surprised by Michael Carrick's current success as a coach. He also stated that he had witnessed Bruno Fernandes's exceptional personal ability back then.
Fosu-Mensah said: "Nothing comes for free; all achievements require hard work. Even if I don't have any team offers right now, I always maintain high-intensity training, stay in shape, and follow a regular routine to hone my physical fitness and skills. I haven't slacked off, and I'm always ready for new opportunities."
Many fans may have forgotten Fosu-Mensah. The player made his Manchester United first-team debut at 18 and won multiple trophies during his career.
Fosu-Mensah suffered two severe knee injuries during his career: the first was in 2019 while on loan at Fulham, and the second came shortly after his transfer to Leverkusen in 2022.
He said: "The club's sporting director, Simon Rolfes, took great care of me. He personally told me that he also suffered an injury during his playing days that sidelined him for a whole year."
In May 2016, in a Premier League match, Louis van Gaal substituted Fosu-Mensah for Michael Carrick against Norwich. Fosu-Mensah played alongside Carrick during his time as a player.
"From Carrick's first two games after taking charge, against Manchester City and Arsenal, you could see his coaching level. I'm genuinely happy for him to see the team achieve ideal results consecutively. When he was part of Solskjaer's coaching staff, I could already see his outstanding ability, so his current success doesn't surprise me."
"I'm very pleased that Manchester United is back on track and will compete in the Champions League next season. The Champions League is where Manchester United should be."
In the 2016 match against Arsenal, Rashford scored two goals on his Premier League debut. Fosu-Mensah, who also made his league debut in the same match, witnessed his teammate's stunning performance.
"The day after Rashford and I made our debuts, we went to school as usual, as if the Premier League debut from the day before had never happened."
"He scored two goals in that game, and I thought to myself, this is my teammate. That day's experience was wonderful. The next day, Rashford and I went to school as usual for classes."
"Speaking of idols, many people would choose Maldini or Ronaldinho, but my role model is Pogba."
During his five years at Manchester United, Rashford won three trophies with the team and played in many important matches alongside numerous football superstars.
"Before joining Manchester United, I played for Ajax, where I could play as a center-back and occasionally as a defensive midfielder. Pogba was already performing brilliantly at Juventus back then, and I became his fan very early on."
"I greatly admire Paul Pogba and Wayne Rooney, and Bruno Fernandes, who is still playing, is in a similar situation to Pogba. Currently, it's hard for people to directly see all the contributions Fernandes silently makes to the club, but in a while, everyone will be amazed by his contributions on the field."
"I remember an away game against Everton where Luke Shaw and I watched the entire match from the bench. Shaw commented at the time: Fernandes's performance is beyond normal. I wholeheartedly agree; whether it's orchestrating passes or making crucial breakthroughs on the field, he's meticulous in everything. Ever since he joined the team, he has elevated the entire team's competitive level to a new height, and this excellent form has continued to this day."