Bruno Fernandes talks about his move to Saudi Arabia (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed that he believes the club were open to him leaving during the summer transfer window amid rumors of a move to Saudi Arabia. Al Hilal reportedly made a huge offer for the player, but a deal fell through and Old Trafford Giants ended up keeping their key playmaker.
In a revealing interview with Maysftebór, Fernandes spoke about his time at United and the speculation surrounding his possible departure: “I can’t complain, I’m very well paid, but obviously the difference is huge. That’s never what led me. If one day I have to play in Saudi Arabia, I’ll play in Saudi Arabia.”
“My lifestyle will change and my children’s lives will become brighter – after six years of cold and rain in Manchester – I will be playing alongside recognized players in a growing league.
“I could have left, like a lot of people do, and said, “I want to leave, I don’t want to train, I want to leave for 20 or 30 million euros, so they’ll pay me more.” But I never did that. I felt that my empathy and love for the club was the same, so I wasn’t in a position to do that.
“But there comes a point when money is more important to them than anything else. The club wanted me to leave, that’s what I think in my head. I told the managers about this, but I don’t think they had the courage to make that decision.”
manchester united bruno fernandes (Image: Getty Images)
“I decided to stay because of family reasons, but also because I really liked the club. I also had a conversation with the manager, and I decided to stay. But from the club’s perspective, I felt a little bit like, ‘It wouldn’t be that bad for us if you left.’ It hurt a lot.”
“More than it hurts, it makes me sad because I’m a player who doesn’t have anything that they criticize. I’m always available, good or bad, I always play and give my all. And when you look at the situation around you, there are players who don’t value the club as much and don’t protect the club as much… It makes me sad.”
The revelation from the captain came as something of a shock, especially given his obvious frustration with United’s struggles to win silver in recent campaigns. A lucrative move to Saudi Arabia could have brought an end to his Old Trafford career, which will celebrate five years in the coming weeks.
Fernandes revealed that he had been approached directly by Al Hilal, the club most strongly linked with his signature, before ultimately rejecting their invitation. Regarding the possibility of a transfer, he explained: “The president of Al Hilal spoke to me. He called me directly.[Joao]Neves sent me a message saying he wanted to talk to me.
“They wanted him to play in the Club World Cup with Al Gilal. It was a love that started back in the Jorge Jesus days. He already called me in 2023.”
Fernandes’ candid confession comes just months after such transfer speculation, as he remains a key figure in the United team. The 31-year-old has 18 months remaining on his existing contract, which runs until 2027, but the club have an option to extend his contract by a further year.
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While he remains a key figure in manager Ruben Amorim’s plans, it is unclear whether he will be inclined to stay beyond that point, especially if fresh interest from Al Hilal emerges in the coming months.
Fernandes has moved from playing as a number 10 to playing deeper in midfield this season, a tactical shift that initially led to criticism of Amorim, but has since proven to be highly effective.
“The frustration he feels is because he wants to help a lot,” the head coach said of the club captain, who reached the 300-game mark earlier this season. “Sometimes it’s not the best way to be a teammate, but he comes from a good place and you don’t realize that when he’s not here.
“He always wants responsibility. He suffers a lot when he loses. You can feel it every time he doesn’t win a game. He takes responsibility personally and as a captain he should. He is a great leader and a great football player.”
