Bruno Fernandes is a man at a crossroads as he decides whether or not to remain at Manchester United or take up the opportunity of a £100m move to Al-Hilal
BILBAO, SPAIN - MAY 21: A dejected Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United FC reacts following the 1-0 defeat in the UEFA Europa League Final 2025 between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Estadio San Mames on May 21, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes(Image: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
Bruno Fernandes is facing a pivotal moment in his career as he considers a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. The Manchester United skipper must choose between staying loyal to his current side or accepting a mega-money offer following a disappointing season with the Reds, which saw them place 15th in the Premier League and lose the Europa League final.
After a disheartening post-season tour in Malaysia and Hong Kong, Fernandes has been presented with the chance to join Al-Hilal, with the club said to be ready to cough up £100million for his transfer, and another £100million for his wages throughout his contract. His representative, Miguel Pinho, has spent time in Riyadh negotiating with Al-Hilal's top brass and Fernandes reportedly has one week to decide, as the Saudi team gears up for the Club World Cup.
The Manchester Evening News understands Fernandes seriously considering leaving the club, despite United manager Ruben Amorim insisting he wants his captain to stay.
In the midst of this uncertainty, Fernandes added fuel to the fire by posting a cryptic message in Portuguese on Instagram, saying: "If you tried and failed, congratulations! There are people who don't even try."
With a deal at Old Trafford that runs till June 2027, and the option for an additional year, the decision-making moment is fast approaching for the 30 year old. Since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has tallied 98 goals and 87 assists across 290 matches for United and has worn the captain's armband for two terms.
Al-Hilal's interest in acquiring his services isn't new, but United's poor form and the need to refresh their squad makes a move a real possibility. Regardless of his decision – whether to stay with United or transfer to Saudi Arabia – it now seems unlikely that Fernandes will fulfil his previously expressed desire to play in Brazil, reports the Mirror.
He'll be turning 31 this September, and his decision this summer seems to rule out any future move to a Brazilian team. "Whenever I can, I follow it, because I find Brazilian football attractive, electric football, with a lot of quality, joy, very one-on-one," he has said in the past.
"It's pure football. And I think that now, with the coaches that are there, not only the Portuguese, but also Brazilians, are increasingly developing in the tactical part.
"I don't really like talking about the distant future, but it's like I said. It's attractive football, very interesting. The only thing is that the trips are very long there in Brazil! There are many competitions, many clubs that play Libertadores and Sudamericana, very good competitions. I'm not saying no, because Brazilian football is very attractive, and we never know the future."
The contract purportedly up for grabs at Al-Hilal is worth an astonishing £700,000 per week and would last for three years. By the end of that period, he will be nearing 34 and may opt to return to his homeland Portugal, rather than relocating to South America, away from his extended family.
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