'Positive' talks held as key Man Utd star could make shock exit as stunning £33m contract demand madeplaceholder image
'Positive' talks held as key Man Utd star could make shock exit as stunning £33m contract demand made | AFP via Getty Images
One Manchester United star has been the subject of fresh interest from Saudi Arabia and has made a stunning contract demand
Manchester United have had a positive summer in the transfer window despite missing out on European football.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha rejected interest from elsewhere in the Premier League to make their respective moves to Old Trafford while United hijacked Newcastle’s move to sign Benjamin Sesko.
It has been less successful on the outgoings front, as Ruben Amorim looks to shift a number of unwanted players before the September 1 transfer deadline. Marcus Rashford has secured his exit, but only on loan.
Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia are also free to leave. However, a report has now indicated that captain Bruno Fernandes has been the subject of fresh interest from Saudi Arabia.
Man Utd do not want to lose Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes is a hugely-important player to Amorim, and he is not somebody the manager will want to lose this summer.
The Portugal international was the subject of interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in June and his agent even held talks with the club but Fernandes eventually rebuffed the approaches.
Speaking about keeping him at the club, Amorim said in late June: "It was so clear last season. You can see it in the assists, the goals. Not just that.
"I think now he has more players. I felt that on the tour. I felt that now there are more players to help them to lead the group. That is a good thing. But he's our leader, so it's really important. Not just on the field, but also off the field."
Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists for United last season, no other player got close to either of those numbers for both goals and assists. Now the midfielder has more support in attack with Cunha and Mbeumo scoring 35 goals between them in the Premier League last term.
Positive talks held as Bruno Fernandes subject of fresh interest
According to Sun Sport, Al-Ittihad “are very keen” to sign Fernandes and a meeting between the club and the player’s camp has “already taken place”. The contact is said to have been “positive” but Fernandes has demanded a contract worth £33m-per-year to join the Saudi Arabian side.
His salary at United is around £300,000-per-week, with the £33m contract demand more than double his current weekly wage.
Speaking about his future earlier in the window, Fernandes said: "I have always been honest.
"I've always said I will be here until the club says to me that it's time to go.
"I'm eager to do more, to be able to bring the club the great days.
"In the day that the club thinks that I'm too much or it's time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it.
"But I've always said it and I keep my word in the same way. If the club thinks it's time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it's what it is, and football sometimes is like this."
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