Bruno Fernandes confirmed he has rejected a mega-money move to Saudi Arabia and revealed how talks with his wife and Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim were key in his decision.
Al Hilal had been willing to almost treble Fernandes’ £250,000-a-week wages, having been prepared to pay Manchester United £100m to sign the club’s captain.
But on Tuesday morning, Sky Sports News reported the 30-year-old had turned down Al Hilal’s offer as he did not want to move to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career.
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Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains why Fernandes does not want to move to Saudi Arabia
On Tuesday evening, while on international duty with Portugal, Fernandes confirmed he had contact with Al Hilal but opted against the move because he wanted to “stay at the highest level”.
“The president of Al Hilal called me a month ago to ask about the possibility of me moving there,” Fernandes told a press conference, according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo.
“I had to wait a while to think about the future. As I’ve always said, I would be willing to do it if United thought it was best to move on.
“I spoke with Ruben Amorim, who really tried to talk me out of it.
“I spoke to the club, who said they weren’t willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
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Take a look at Fernandes’ best moments from the 2024/2025 season
“From my side, it was a very ambitious proposal, the president was a fantastic person. I never talked about the money, it ended up coming up later, with my agent.
“I had to make the decision as a family and understand what I wanted for my future. That was the question my wife asked, what my professional goals would be. At no point did she say yes or no, she always supported me and put my professional side first.
“It was an easy move, even at a family level. I had Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo. My children are used to playing with theirs.
“But I simply want to stay at the highest level, playing in the big competitions, because I still feel capable of that.
“I want to continue to be happy and do what I love most. I’m still very passionate about this sport. It’s my way of seeing football and I’m happy with my decision.”
Manchester United do not want to sell their captain. He has a contract until 2027 with the option of a further year.
The Portugal international has contributed 98 goals and 87 assists in 290 games in all competitions since moving to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
Nev: Bruno has strength of character Man Utd need
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Gary Neville, speaking at the launch of his Business of Football Degree at UA92, says Fernandes rejecting a move to Saudi is significant
Gary Neville speaking at the launch of his Business of Football Degree at UA92 on Fernandes’ decision to stay:
“It’s significant. The money on the table was big, so there’s an element of this situation where getting that kind of money for a player of Bruno’s age wouldn’t have been a bad deal.
“But on the other hand, Manchester United’s star player, sometimes the only player, for the past five or six years has been Bruno Fernandes.
“He’s the one player I can point towards as a success out of all the big signings they have made. He’s the only player who has the personality and courage needed – if he plays well Manchester United always have a chance of winning a game.
“The fact he wants to stay, despite all the money on offer, will endear him to Manchester United fans even more. To turn that money down, when United are at their lowest ebb and say, ‘no, I want to fight’, says a lot about him as a person and character.
“Him staying, Matheus Cunha coming in, gives them a couple of players with personality, and that might just make a difference next season.”
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