Bruno Fernandes has the chance to leave Manchester United and all their problems behind after receiving a huge offer from Saudi Arabia, having previously quit a club under similar circumstances
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United applauds the fans after the team's victory in the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Everton FC at Old Trafford on December 01, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Bruno Fernandes' future at Manchester United remains uncertain after holding talks with Al-Hilal
(Image: Getty Images)
Bruno Fernandes once admitted he quit former club Udinese because they were underperforming.
That is now being mirrored with his current situation at Manchester United, where he could leave the Red Devils after becoming the primary transfer target of Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Despite being under contract until 2027, it's understood that Fernandes' agent recently held positive talks late into the night with Al-Hilal officials in Riyadh.
The Saudi giants have reportedly made a lucrative offer for the Red Devils captain. But they are also understood to have informed him that this is a one-time opportunity as they look to sign him within the next two weeks to ensure his eligibility for the Club World Cup.
Reports suggest the Portugal international, 30, is seriously contemplating leaving Old Trafford in a staggering £100million transfer following a woeful season under head coach Ruben Amorim, which saw United achieve their worst ever Premier League finish.
Should Fernandes decide to call it quits this summer, it wouldn’t be for the first time as he previously left Serie A club Udinese for similar reasons. He moved to Italy at the age of 17 and spent five years there, initially at Novara before signing for Udinese in 2013.
But after an impressive first season with the side, his manager Francesco Guidolin decided to step back from coaching, which played a key role in Fernandes leaving for Sampdoria in 2016. In a stark parallel to his time at United, Fernandes recalled that Udinese team having quality players but not being able to produce what was expected of them.
He opened up in an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio via Get Italian Football News, saying: “The three years I spent at Udinese were not easy in terms of the team because we didn’t have great campaigns, except for the first one where we had a great squad. We had a strong team, but we weren’t able to achieve what was expected of us.
Bruno Fernandes of Udinese Calcio looks on during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale Milano and Udinese Calcio at San Siro Stadium on March 27, 2014 in Milan, Italy.
Fernandes left Udinese after a difficult three seasons with the Italian side
(Image: Getty)
“Then in the second and third year they decided to change manager after so long with Guidolin, and it didn’t go very well. Guidolin had managed to get the most of my abilities, and made me understand that I had to train more, but he had faith in me.”
Fernandes, who joined United in January 2020 from Sporting CP, made the emotional admission years later that his time in Italy left him wanting to quit football altogether. It was there, whilst playing for Udinese, that he got extremely homesick and lonely, which forced him to reconsider his career path.
He recalled his challenging time in Serie A by telling the Players' Tribune: "I was all on my own at 17 in a new country. I didn’t speak the language, and I didn’t know anyone, and let me tell you, it was hard. It was unbelievably hard and lonely. There were times when I wanted to quit, absolutely."
Fernandes credits his father for instilling a mentality in him to constantly pursue personal improvement, and admitted he would not have "survived" playing in Italy were it not for that attitude.
After a single season with Sampdoria, Fernandes returned to Portugal to play for Sporting, where he flourished before making the switch to United. Since joining the Red Devils, he has been an outstanding performer, winning the club’s Player of the Season award four times, including this campaign.
Old Trafford bosses are reportedly relaxed about Fernandes' future, wanting to retain their star player but open to offers. The club's failure to secure Champions League football by losing the Europa League final has only heightened their need to sell players and rebuild the squad in compliance with Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability Rules.