Bruno Fernandes has been linked with a move away from Manchester United, with the Red Devils captain given a deadline by Al-Hilal to make a decision on his future
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Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is the subject of transfer interest
(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal reportedly setting a strict deadline for a £100million transfer.
The Portuguese midfielder, who has been a key figure for United since his arrival in January 2020, could earn around £200m in wages over three years if he decides to make the move. Despite a challenging season that saw United finish 15th in the Premier League and lose out to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, Fernandes remained one of the team's standout performers.
Following the Europa League defeat in Bilbao, the 30-year-old admitted he would consider leaving if United accepted a transfer bid. The Daily Mail has reported that Al-Hilal has set a short deadline for their £100m offer. This is not the first time Fernandes has attracted interest from other clubs. In 2019, while still at Sporting Lisbon, he was the subject of a £58m (€65m) bid from Spurs.
After reaching the Champions League final that year, Mauricio Pochettino's side had identified Fernandes as a key target. However, Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed that the offer was turned down due to the structure of the deal. A few months later, Fernandes joined United in January 2020.
Spurs made an initial offer of £40m (€45m), with an additional £18m (€20m) in bonuses contingent on winning the Premier League and Champions League. As the summer transfer window closed, Varandas celebrated the club's keeping hold of who he hailed as the "best midfielder in Europe" and revealed Fernandes' response.
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes was praised for his response to transfer interest at Sporting Lisbon
"It was 'impossible' to retain Bruno Fernandes, but we did it," Varandas said in a club statement in September 2021. "We prepared for his sale by putting a fair price on him, and we had bids, but the only serious offer was from Tottenham, and that was €45 million plus another €20m in bonuses for winning the Premier League and the Champions League. Those are difficult objectives, so we chose not to accept."
Regarding Fernandes' reaction, Varandas continued: "Bruno Fernandes demonstrated himself to be not just a superb player but also a top professional and captain. His consistent dignity and responsibility are commendable. The day I rejected Tottenham's proposal, I went to the training ground and spoke to him. I explained why I had turned down the offer and why he would remain here beyond the end of the market, and he understood perfectly.
"In addition, he also understood that the bid they offered us was not fair. He's not leaving, he's a Sporting player. Many European clubs want him and we know this is something we will always have to deal with."
Fernandes had also been the subject of interest from Real Madrid and Juventus before eventually joining United for £68m (€80m). The midfielder is currently on United's post-season tour in Malaysia. After the defeat against Spurs in the Europa League final, which saw United miss out on the Champions League spot, Fernandes spoke frankly about his situation at the club.
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes scored 19 goals in all competitions this season(Image: Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
"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 said. "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."
It has been reported that Fernandes could receive a weekly salary of £700k tax-free at Al-Hilal, in addition to bonus incentives. However, United manager Ruben Amorim strongly hopes Fernandes will stay with the team.
"He's really important for us and really important for what we want to build with this team," Amorim said. "The last game the team was without pressure, they performed quite well, everybody wants the ball, the team has different moments and in different moments Bruno [Fernandes] takes responsibility."