Former Norwich City star Onel Hernandez has vowed to ‘break’ Marcelino Nunez after the midfielder’s move to arch-rivals Ipswich.
Ipswich confirmed the £10million deal on Friday, with Nunez signing a four-year contract at Portman Road. The package includes an initial £7.5m fee plus £2.5m in add-ons.
It is the first time in 24 years a player has moved between the clubs – the last being goalkeeper Andy Marshall who caused controversy by joining Ipswich on a free transfer from Norwich in 2001.
Nunez’s former team-mate Hernandez, who departed Norwich this summer after seven years, has been particularly left hurt by the transfer.
The 32-year-old Cuban said on his YouTube channel: ‘We all know he’s a lovely, generous, humble guy. I knew from back then, I think last season or something like that, that a few clubs have shown some interest in him.
‘I spoke to him about it and he said, “Look, I’m very ambitious. I want to play one day somewhere in the highest leagues in the world”.
Former Norwich City star Onel Hernandez has vowed to ‘break’ Marcelino Nunez
Ipswich confirmed the £10million deal on Friday, with Nunez signing a four-year contract
Hernandez (right) has branded his former team-mate a ‘disgrace’ following the transfer
‘There was also interest from Ipswich. But I told him when you would ever consider a move there, what would happen? I explained him everything. He knew about it,’ Hernandez said.
‘But I said as well to him, if I get a chance playing against you, I will f***ing break you. That’s what I say to him. He knew exactly what would happen if he would have had any thoughts about it.
‘But I also told him that I don’t believe that Norwich City would ever, never, ever consider to sell him to that club. I say to him, look, there’s probably other clubs that showed interest and would offer that amount of money and stuff like that.
Hernandez added: ‘Because of the fans. For the fans, that would be a disaster. It is a disaster.
‘He was one of my good friends, but obviously with that move, I’m not sure if I want to continue that friendship with him. Because obviously now he plays for a rival. It’s for me just a disgrace to just join a team like that.’
Nunez made 119 appearances for Norwich across three seasons, scoring 12 goals after joining from Chilean side CD Universidad Catolica in 2022 – the club where he first broke through as a professional.
The 25-year-old will face his former club Norwich when they travel to Portman Road for the East Anglian derby on October 5.
