If the Manchester United fans thought it had been a busy 24 hours for the Premier League giants – Matheus Cunha done, Bryan Mbeumo progressing and Bruno Fernandes staying – spare a thought for fans of Al-Hilal.
The Saudi Arabian giants entered June confident of signing the Manchester United captain.
But, as Bruno Fernandes rejects Al-Hilal’s head-spinning offer in favour of guiding Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils back to the upper echelons of English football, this topsy-turvy transfer saga is one of just many plot points taking shape at a club juggling more messy storylines than the final season of Game of Thrones.
Reporter Ben Jacobs, a man very well-connected in Middle Eastern football, reports that Al-Hilal could turn to another Premier League playmaker in Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans.
Al-Hilal could take some revenge on Man United by snatching Ederson from Atalanta, meanwhile, though this will hardly dampen the beaming smiles of Red Devils supporters delighted to see their beloved captain stick around.
Ben Jacobs adds that Al-Hilal bosses are discussing another Man United target Victor Osimhen during a summit in Paris amid suggestions that Fulham icon Aleksandr Mitrovic could return to English football. And, potentially, Old Trafford.
There is also the impending appointment of Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi.
Those with only half an eye on developments at the Kingdom Arena, then, could be forgiven for wondering how Al-Hilal have managed to cram an entire summer’s worth of drama into the space of 24 short hours.
Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
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Bruno Fernandes rejects Al-Hilal to stay at Manchester United
Jacobs, meanwhile, adds that club president Fahad bin Nafel felt enough had been done to convince Bruno Fernandes to give up on his dreams of captaining Manchester United back to the glory days.
He did not anticipate, clearly, the sort of loyalty seldom-seen in the modern game.
🚨💣 EXCLUSIVE: Bruno Fernandes has REJECTED Al Hilal proposal. ❌🇸🇦
Despite crazy contract proposal from the Saudi Pro League club, Bruno Fernandes wants to continue playing football in Europe.
Man United captain wants to play at top level in Europe. Decision made. pic.twitter.com/7liKWOHETs
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 3, 2025
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“More on Bruno Fernandes turning down Al-Hilal following advanced talks,” Jacobs writes on X. “Productive meetings took place last week in Riyadh, and Al-Hilal felt the terms of an agreement were close.
“However, Fernandes made it clear he wanted time to discuss the move with his family, and further talks also took place with Manchester United. Ruben Amorim’s public comments that he wanted Bruno to stay were also reiterated privately to the Manchester United captain.”
Al-Hilal president thought Fernandes was Saudi Arabia-bound
Jacobs adds that, while Al-Hilal may have broken the £100 million barrier, no official bid ever arrived on the Red Devils’ table.
“Man United were always waiting for a bid, but this was never going to arrive unless Fernandes first said yes,” he explains.
“As a result, United’s perspective is no formal negotiations ever took place, even though they were aware Hilal were prepared to pay in excess of 100 million euros, and potentially closer to 120 million euros.
“Al-Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel believed Fernandes was sold on the football project, but no final answer was given last week in Riyadh.
Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
Instead, Fernandes was given a deadline of Friday at the latest to communicate his decision, and after talks this weekend with his family has decided to turn the offer down.”
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a Man United team who could not hit a barn door with a double-bass last season, let alone a banjo, could have Bruno Fernandes supplying the ammunition for a new-look Matheus Cunha – Bryan Mbeumo frontline with a top-class centre-forward potentially the final piece in Amorim’s attacking jigsaw.