The Manchester United captain spoke candidly in an interview with Portuguese broadcaster Canal 11 as speculation about his future continues to intensify.
Bruno Fernandes has revealed that he is determined to stay at Manchester United, but only if Manchester United make him feel needed. However, the club’s captain sensationally admitted that he would be willing to move elsewhere three times if he was reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo. There was a notable omission in Saudi Arabia.
In comments published this week, the 31-year-old said he was hurt by the club’s claim they had “hoped” to sell him back in the summer. The Portuguese star’s comments, which have attracted strong interest from Saudi Arabia, sparked fresh speculation about his future at the club.
And Fernandes’ comments on Tuesday night, in which he admitted he would be open to a move to Spain, Italy or Portugal, will no doubt fuel the flames further.
But he has made it clear that his priority is to stay at United, but only on the condition that they show him love. In a public interview with Portuguese broadcaster Canal 11, Fernandes said of his future: “I want to stay at Manchester United as long as I feel wanted.”
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He also revealed that he is thinking about life after United, naming his next desired destination. “I want to experience the Spanish league and fight for big titles in Italy. I have a lot of connections with Italy. My daughter was also born in Italy.”
“I’m already thinking about going back to Portugal. My first choice would be Sporting. I want to be happy, as I was with Sporting, but I don’t want to spoil the image I have left. I don’t want to drag myself into it and I want to add to it.”
“And try playing district football when you’re older. You play district for love, but it feels different. I have friends in district.”
The 30-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Fernandes was courted by Al Hilal in the summer, but rejected the deal and decided to remain at Old Trafford.
Al Hilal are said to have offered Fernandes a staggering £700,000-a-week, a deal that could earn him nearly £200m over three years. He also remains in close contact with Ronaldo and is said to be linked to his team Al Nasr.
Despite the richness of the Middle East, the United star clearly finds the lure of top-flight European football more appealing.
The Portuguese playmaker has once again been United’s standout player this season, scoring a superb free-kick in Monday night’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth. Despite playing a key role in the team’s rise under Amorim, Fernandes struck out at the club he has called home for the past five years.
“Today, the question of loyalty is not seen the way it used to be,” he says. “I could have left in the last transfer window and made more money. Financially it would have been much better for me.”
“At one point I was going to leave – I won’t say where – but we would have won a lot of trophies that season. I decided to stay, not just for family reasons, but because I genuinely love the club. The conversation with the coach also made me decide to stay.”
“But from the club side, I felt a little bit like, ‘If you leave, it’s not that bad for us.’ It hurts a little bit. I’m not the kind of player they criticize me for, so I’m more sad than hurt. I can play in any game at any time, and for better or worse, I’m always playing. I’ll give my best.
“And when you look around you, you see players who don’t value the club as much as I do, don’t protect it as much. That makes me sad.”
However, Fernandes’ comments stand in stark contrast to United’s position, with the club continuing to insist that they assured them over the summer that Fernandes was integral to their plans and not for sale.
Fernandes’ contract at Old Trafford runs until the summer of 2027, with the club having the option to extend his contract by a further year. He made 307 appearances during his almost six-year spell at United, scoring an impressive 103 goals and providing 93 assists.
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