Bruno Fernandes has spoken about his decision to stay at Man Utd again, this time speaking to Portuguese media.
Fernandes spoke to reporters ahead of his 300th appearance for United.
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Bruno Fernandes discussed singing for his Manchester United initiation and walking along Bournemouth beach with Tom Heaton during an interview with Manchester correspondents in October. Those tidbits from the interview did not make the headlines; Fernandes candidly speaking about almost leaving United and receiving advice from Cristiano Ronaldo made the back pages.
The Manchester Evening News were one of the outlets invited to speak to the United captain ahead of his 300th appearance for the club. Fernandes arrived for the interview, which took place in the lounge area on the second floor of the refurbished main building, wearing a tracksuit and Nike trainers.
Fernandes was absorbing during the 32-minute chat, in which no topics were off the table, and the quotes resurfaced on Tuesday following the release of a fresh interview in Portugal.
Speaking to Canal 11, the subscription television channel of the Portuguese Football Federation, Fernandes suggested that United wanted him to leave for Al-Hilal during the summer transfer window.
He said: "But there comes 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 this, but I think they didn't have the courage to make that decision.
"I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely like 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 lot. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I'm a player they have nothing to criticise about. I'm always available, and 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 spoke to Canal 11 - set up by the Portugal national team.
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The interview with Canal 11 contradicted what Fernandes told Manchester reporters because, during that conversation, he claimed the club echoed Ruben Amorim's desire for him to stay.
United sources reiterated that the leadership was clear throughout the summer that Fernandes was a key part of their future plans, pointing to his own quote from the October sit-down.
During that interview, Fernandes said: "The manager spoke with me. He said I was still part of the project. He wanted me to stay. The club said the same. And I always said that if the club was like ‘Bruno, we want to cash in, you are 30 years old. We want to make some money. We don't think you can be part of the future project’, or whatever, I would be like, OK, I have to find a solution for myself, whatever is best for me and my family. And I will leave.
"But obviously that wasn't the case. I felt that I was still part of the plan, that I could still help the club to achieve whatever was our aims. And that's what made me stay. Obviously, I have a big connection with the fans, with the club, also the country. My family feels very well here."
Fernandes was asked whether he spoke to Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, and he said: "I spoke with both, obviously. I think the first time I spoke was already in Malaysia, because that was when everything started.
"I had a conversation with Omar and I told him, 'look, this is what is on the table. I know the club might be looking at this in a way. I will be looking at it in a different way. So I just want to know from your perspective, from your side, what's the point of view, what you guys want to do. And then from there on, I will do my things'.
"And obviously, the first one, Jason said, like Omar said, 'we won't say no. But obviously, it's the thing that we want you to stay at the club. But if you want to go, we won't say that it's not the offer for us, because obviously it's massive money'. As I said this many times, the club's last biggest sale was £20million, probably from Daniel James."
Fernandes spoke to the MEN ahead of his 300th appearance for United.
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Fernandes conducted the Canal 11 interview a few weeks ago, but it was released following the Bournemouth draw, something Kobbie Mainoo's older brother will probably be thankful for after the 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' T-shirt stunt, as the quotes have risen to prominence in the United news cycle.
United have no desire to sell Fernandes, who is settled in Manchester with his family, which adds to the intrigue of the United captain suggesting he was "hurt" by the process in the summer.
Fernandes' reputation as the best communicator in the United dressing room is merited. You can tell the midfielder is intelligent when he occasionally speaks for just a few minutes in mixed zones, and that impression was backed up when reporters spoke to him at Carrington for over half an hour.
That means Fernandes was unlikely to have misspoken during his Canal 11 interview. Of course, it's possible that something has been misinterpreted in the translation, but it seems his message was deliberate.
If that is the case, then Fernandes has a motive for making the comment about being "hurt" and suggesting United wanted to sell him. Could that motive be that he wants to be given a new deal in Manchester?
Fernandes signed fresh contract terms in August 2024, extending his stay at United until the summer of 2027. The previous deal was due to expire in 2026, so Fernandes only extended his stay by a year, but a pay increase was agreed to reflect his importance in the dressing room.
The option to extend Fernandes' contract by 12 months was included, but he will officially enter the final year of his deal at Old Trafford in the summer following the end of the campaign.
Fernandes' interview in his mother tongue could potentially be a negotiating tactic to put some pressure on United's decision-makers. On the other hand, it could be him paving the way for a summer exit.