Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed he is open to leaving Old Trafford this summer if they decide it best to cash in on him after reflecting on their miserable Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur – and his likely next move has already been revealed.
The Red Devils slumped to a 1-0 loss to their Premier League rivals in the Estadio San Mames, with Brennan Johnson’s scrappy first-half goal proving enough to separate the two sides. And while neither side were at their best in a largely poor match, the loss in Bilbao signals a new low in a desperately poor season for Manchester United who have jumped from one crisis to another.
The immediate impact of that defeat means United will go into the 2025/26 season without any form of European football to focus on and only three competitions to play for – the first time they will not be in Europe since the 2014/15 campaign.
Long term, the loss in northern Spain could also have many more far-reaching consequences. In the wake of that defeat, manager Ruben Amorim has challenged the board over the sack at Old Trafford after a disastrous season.
READ MORE 🔴⚫ Ruben Amorim challenges Man Utd board over sack after Europa League final defeat
Furthermore, captain Fernandes has also offered to leave if the club decides it best to cash in on him to help with their rebuilding process in the wake of that loss.
“I have always been honest. I’ve always said I will be here until the club says to me that it’s time to go,” Fernandes told the media after the defeat on Wednesday night.
“I’m eager to do more, to be able to bring the club the great days. In the day that the club thinks that I’m too much or it’s time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it. But I’ve always said it, and I keep my word in the same way.
“If the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it’s what it is, and football sometimes is like this.”
So often the hero, Fernandes admits he was left feeling crushed by the loss to Spurs.
“It’s very sad. We wanted to win more than anything in this final,” he said. “It’s a very sad day because we’ve done some very good things in this competition until today.
“But today was the day that mattered, the most important day of the competition. It was the day we could have been in the history of the Europa League, but it’s not like that. And football is cruel, and it’s been our turn to lose.”
GO DEEPER 🔴⚫ Man Utd identify FIVE Bruno Fernandes replacements with transfer chase causing ‘concern’
Bruno Fernandes: Where Man Utd captain could go next?
The Portuguese has recently been named Manchester United’s player of the season for the third year in a row and the fourth time in the five and a half seasons he has been at Old Trafford.
Despite turning 30 last September, the player remains far and away United’s leading light – with his 98 goals and 86 assists from 289 appearances evidence of those qualities.
As a result, he could still collect a hefty transfer fee were the club to decide to cash in.
To that end, strong reports over the last month have revealed a strong approach from Saudi Arabia behemoth’s Al-Hilal will be launched this summer – and they are prepared to pay through the nose to convince United to sell their captain.
Amid talk of a giant £150m bid, reports in Spain claim Al Hilal are willing to ‘go all out’ to get him, with an offer of more than €70million (£59m) per season on offer in wages. Currently, Fernandes earns a yearly wage of £15.6million, so he’d be in line for a mammoth increase, with the breakdown seeing him potentially earning a staggering £1.134m a week.
Despite that, and when questioned on his future last month, Amorim insists United have no plans to part with their captain.
“It’s not going to happen!” he stated when asked if Fernandes could leave.
Asked why he is so confident the 30-year-old will stick around, he added: “That is the challenge. I want Bruno here.
“We want to win the Premier League again, we want the best players with us.”
The midfielder signed a new deal at Old Trafford over the summer, extending his commitment to the club until the summer of 2027, with the option of an extra year.
Amorim added: “He’s still so young because he plays 55 games every season.
“Between assists and goals, he’s there for 30 at least. He’s the player we want here, he’s not going anywhere.
“We are in control of the situation. I feel that he’s really happy here. He understands what we want to do.
“He’s one more supporter of Manchester United; he really feels it. Sometimes the frustration that you and everybody sees, and says: ‘it’s not a good thing for the captain’ – it’s a sign that he wants it so bad.
“This is the kind of player we want. He’s not going anywhere – because I already told him.”
Man Utd latest: Rio rages at Bilbao performance; Delap transfer plan fades
That defeat in Bilbao has understandably not gone down well with United players past and present.
And one man who has torn into the club following the lacklustre performance is Rio Ferdinand, who feels they did not do enough to win the trophy on the night and having scolded Amorim and Co for a “disaster of a season”.
It was reported thatEuropa League glory could help towards the signing of Liam Delap, who wants to play European football next season, so United’s loss may have shrouded that move in doubt.
The Red Devils have also been looking at some big players who it’s not clear they’ll be able to sign now.
Indeed, they are now looking at the£20million bargain signing of Richard Rios in the midfield, given more expensive players might not be in range.
And, amid interest in Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, United have been told theArgentine will command a £40million fee.
VOTE: Is Bruno Fernandes Man Utd’s best value for money signing currently in the squad?