Fernandes was the subject of interest from Saudi teams in the summer, with reports claiming he rejected a £100m move to Al Hilal
Fernandes is under contract at Old Trafford until 2027, with an option for anther year
Fernandes is under contract at Old Trafford until 2027, with an option for anther year (Getty Images)
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has claimed that the club “wanted me to go” after Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal reportedly made a £100m offer for the midfielder last summer.
The deal would have seen Fernandes play for the Saudi side in last summer’s Club World Cup, and while the Portuguese could have earned up to £700,000 per week, he rejected it after holding positive talks with manager Ruben Amorim.
However, Fernandes has revealed that he felt the club wanted him to make the move, explaining that “it gets to a point where, for them, money is more important than anything”.
“I could have left in the last transfer window, I would have earned much more money, I was going to leave a season ago – I won’t say where – but I would have won many trophies that season. I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely love the club,” Fernandes told Portuguese Canal 11, a channel owned by the Portuguese Football Federation.
“The conversation with the manager also made me stay. But from the club’s side, I felt a bit like, ‘if you leave, it’s not so bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player who has nothing to criticise. I’m always available, I always play, good or bad. I give my all,” he added.