Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandez opened a huge contract offer he received from Saudi Arabian side Al Giral at the end of last season.
Bruno Fernandez admitted that he understood if Manchester United encouraged him to leave for Al Hilal in June.
Fernandez was approached by the Saudi Arabian side at the end of last season and was given an offer of a life-changing contract. He was offered a contract worth £700,000 a week by Al Hilal, who was willing to pay United £100 million for the captain.
The Portuguese midfielder spent several days with his family considering the proposal before turning it down. His decision came behind one of United’s worst seasons in history, finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing to the Europa League final against Tottenham.
Fernandez said at the time that United didn’t want to sell, and that Reuben Amorim made it clear that he wanted to stay with him too. However, he knows that Al-Hilal’s willingness to pay means that his employer had to seriously consider cash to the captain.
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“I haven’t made my dream come true here yet,” he told Sky Sports when he asked why he didn’t leave. “I still think I can give something to the club. I think I’m still in a position where I’m helping.
“Obviously, since Cristiano (Ronaldo) was still there, it was a lot of money the club probably didn’t have, so he knows it was tough to decide that they were the last ones to get a lot of money for the players.
“I know it’s difficult for the club to make decisions. On the other hand, I’m important to them because I’m the club’s captain. It’s all about me, even if I’m performing, not great. In the public eye, if things go wrong, it’s really good.
“But I have always said this is where I want to be, my dream of coming to the Premier League and playing because it is the largest league in the world and I want to make my dream of staying here and winning more with the club.
Fernandez said at the time he refused to move because he wanted to continue playing at the highest level. He also didn’t want to uproot his young family and live in a country like Saudi Arabia, where cultures are very different.
The 30-year-old has two years left on his current contract, paying around £300,000 a week, with United also having the option of extending a 12-month. United struggled last season, but Fernandez contributed 19 goals and 19 assists in 57 matches in all competitions.
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