Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes after the Premier League draw with Bournemouth at Old Trafford, Manchester
In a bombshell interview with Portuguese outlet Canal 11, the United captain has lifted the lid on his failed move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
And the Portugal midfielder has revealed his sadness at the way the situation was handled as he fired a broadside at the people running United, for whom he claimed “money is more important than anything”.
“Manchester United wanted me to leave, I have that in my head,” said Fernandes, who said he had discussed a potential switch to Saudi with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I think they didn’t have the courage because Ruben Amorim wanted me here but from the club’s side I felt that if I left, it wouldn’t be so bad.
“Cristiano advised me, but the final decision always rested with me. I decided to stay because I genuinely love the club, but loyalty isn’t as well regarded as it once was.”
Fernandes spoke in October on the eve of his 300th game for United about how family considerations were one of the reasons he turned down a mega-money offer from Al Hilal.
But now the 31-year-old has opened up about his sadness at United’s attitude towards him staying and explained how he expected better given how he has demonstrated a commitment and loyalty to the club that he does not believe has been shown by some team-mates.
“I could have left in the last transfer window and I would have earned much more money,” Fernandes said on the Soltinhos pelo Mundo show.
“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.
“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 \[there is\] nothing to criticise. I’m always available, I always play, good or bad. I give my all.
“Then, you see things around you, players who don’t value the club as much and don’t defend the club as much… that makes you sad.”
Fernandes was in conversation with former player Candido Costa and it is clear the events surrounding last summer have left a bitter taste as he claimed “more is more important than anything” to United’s top brass.
“If one day I have to play in Saudi Arabia, I’ll play in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “My lifestyle will change, my children’s lives will be sunny, after six years in Manchester with cold and rain, I’ll be playing in a growing league, with renowned players.
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“I could have left like many people do and said: ‘I want to leave, I don’t want to train, I just want to leave for €20 or €30m, so they pay me more on the other side. But I never did that.
“I never felt in a position to do it, because I felt that the empathy and affection I had for the club were the same.
“But it gets to a point where, for them, money is more important than anything. The club wanted me to go, I have that in my head.
“I told the directors that, but I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision, because the manager wanted me. If I had said I wanted to leave, they would have let me go.”