A former Manchester United star has given his verdict on Bruno Fernandes' decision to reject a mega-money deal with Al-Hilal, with the move causing raised eyebrows
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been described as "mad" for turning down Al-Hilal
(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Bruno Fernandes has been told he might be a "little bit mad" after rejecting a big-money transfer to Saudi Arabia.
The Manchester United captain revealed this week that he had turned down the opportunity to leave Old Trafford to join Al-Hilal. The Saudi Pro League outfit were reportedly prepared to offer a huge £300million financial package to secure his services, with £100m for United and a £200m contract for the Portuguese playmaker.
However, the 30-year-old rebuffed their offer after insisting he wanted to remain "at the highest level". Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster has now expressed his delight over Fernandes' decision to stay with the club, despite appearing to jokingly question his sanity.
In a video shared on his Cycling GK Instagram page, the ex-Wrexham shot-stopper said: "I'm so happy about it, because it just goes to show that some footballers actually do it for the love of the game - it's not all about money.
"Not only that, we want to see the best players playing in the Premier League week in, week out, and Bruno Fernandes is one of those players."
Bruno Fernandes of Portugal speaks to the media
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has had his say on why he opted against a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal
Addressing Fernandes directly, he added: "Bruno, I don't know whether you're a little bit mad or just madly in love with football, either way, I love it, mate. I'm all over it and looking forward to watching you playing in the Premier League next season."
Fernandes explained his reasons for staying with United at a press conference while on international duty with Portugal on Tuesday night. He said: "There was an opportunity. The [Al-Hilal] president called me and asked if I wanted to go there.
"They were waiting for me. I spoke to coach Amorim. He asked me not to go. Manchester United didn't want to sell me. They don't need the money. If I had wanted to leave, they would have made it happen.
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim talks to the media
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will be happy about Fernandes' decision
"It [would have been] an easy move, even at a family level. I had João Cancelo there, my children are used to playing with him in the national team. We have a great friendship. But I want to maintain myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it."
United had a poor 2024/25 campaign, finishing 15th in the Premier League under new boss Ruben Amorim. They also missed out on winning the Europa League to Tottenham.
Amorim is looking to overhaul the squad he inherited from Erik Ten Hag after taking the reins of in November. The Red Devils have already been busy in the summer transfer window, securing a £62.5million deal with Wolves for striker Matheus Cunha, while Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo is believed to be another target.
And former United right-back Gary Neville believes Fernandes' decision to stay bodes well for the future. "He's so important," he told Sky Sports. "It would have been easy for him at the end of this season to say, 'Look, I'm done here'. This 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."
---
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.