Gary Neville has shared his thoughts on Bruno Fernandes’ decision to turn down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.
Bruno Fernandes turned down a move to Al-Hilal following interest from the Saudi Pro League outfit. The Portuguese midfielder’s future has been up in the air since the end of the season.
It was a turbulent campaign for Manchester United as the Red Devils finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.
Al-Hilal thought they could persuade Fernandes to swap United after a dire season, but he declined their lucrative offer and looks set to remain at Old Trafford.
United fans were relieved by Fernandes’ decision to snub Al-Hilal. The 30-year-old was recently voted United’s Player of the Year, which is an award he’s won four times since moving to England from Sporting CP.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Gary Neville happy with ‘significant’ Bruno Fernandes decision
Former United captain Gary Neville has hailed Fernandes’ character after the United star turned down Al-Hilal.
Neville argues that it says everything about Fernandes’ personality that he didn’t run away for the money.
The retired footballer turned pundit/businessman believes Fernandes’ decision will strengthen his relationship with United fans because he is not walking away after a disappointing season.
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Speaking on Sky Sports News, Neville said: “It’s significant.
“I think that there was an element of this situation that meant United getting that level of money, for someone of Bruno’s age, obviously, you couldn’t say that it would have been a bad deal.
“But, on the other hand, Manchester United’s star player – only player at times – for the last four, five, six years, has been Bruno Fernandes. He’s so important.
“The fact that he wants to stay, the fact that he wants to go through this and come out the other side, because it would have been easy for him at the end of this season to say, ‘Look, I’m done here’, will endear him towards Manchester United fans even more.
“To turn that money down at a point where Manchester United are at their lowest ebb and say, ‘No, I want to fight through this, I want to see it through the other side, I want to come out and achieve things,’ I think it says a lot about him as a person, as a character. The club needs people who are going to run through a brick wall for them.”
What’s next for Bruno Fernandes?
Fernandes will take on Germany in the Nations League semi-final tonight.
The United midfielder hasn’t had any time off to relax since the end of the Premier League season, after being forced by the club to go on a post-season tour of Asia.
It won’t be long before he is recalled to prepare for the new season with United.
How Fernandes hasn’t experienced burnout yet is crazy.