Bruno Fernandes has disclosed that Manchester United were open to allowing him to transfer to Al Hilal during the summer if he accepted their lucrative offer.
Set to make his 300th appearance for United against Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday, Fernandes reflected on how close he came to leaving during the transfer window.
“I had conversations with Al Hilal, and that’s common knowledge,” Fernandes remarked. “There were other clubs that expressed interest after Al Hilal, but my response remained unchanged. This includes offers from both Saudi Arabia and Europe.”
“I received inquiries, but it never progressed to a formal offer. The only concrete proposal was from Saudi Arabia.”
“The manager [Ruben Amorim] assured me that I was still a key part of the project. The club echoed this sentiment.”
“I have always maintained that if the club indicated, ‘Bruno, we want to sell you, you’re 30 years old, and we believe you aren’t part of our future plans,’ I would understand and look for an opportunity that’s best for me and my family. However, that was not the case. I felt reaffirmed in my importance to the team.”
Fernandes engaged in discussions with Amorim, CEO Omar Berrada, and director of football Jason Wilcox before arriving at his decision. He also consulted Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
While on a post-season tour in Malaysia, rumors regarding his potential move to Al Hilal began to circulate.
The Saudi Pro League club was eager to sign a high-profile player ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, prepared to offer United around £100 million ($133.07 million) along with a significant salary increase for Fernandes.
“The initial conversation took place while I was already in Malaysia, as that was when the discussions kicked off,” Fernandes explained. “I spoke with Omar and explained, ‘this is the offer we have. I understand the club’s perspective, but I want to know yours.'”
“Both Jason and Omar mentioned that while they didn’t want to lose me, they recognized the offer was substantial and wouldn’t dismiss it outright.”
“I consulted Cristiano about the situation regarding Saudi Arabia. I won’t disclose his advice, but we had a thorough discussion about it.”
At that moment, United had just suffered disappointment after losing the Europa League final to Tottenham and failing to secure a Champions League spot.
With Berrada and Wilcox operating on a tight budget for new signings, Fernandes indicated he would have understood if they decided to capitalize on a lucrative offer.
“The club’s largest previous sale might have been around £20 million for Daniel James, if I recall correctly,” Fernandes noted. “Scott [McTominay] fetched slightly more. However, transitioning from that to the potential £80-100 million from Al Hilal is quite a jump.”
“I spoke to the manager, informing him of the offer. I highlighted that I needed to contemplate the implications if the club was planning to redeploy the funds elsewhere.” The club dismissed that possibility.
“The manager expressed they wanted more players to enhance the team’s performance and not to let me go, as losing me would impact their ability to build a stronger squad.”
Despite remaining with United, there are indications that clubs from Saudi Arabia and Europe could target Fernandes again next summer. The 31-year-old has a contract that runs until 2027, with an option for an additional year.
“Currently, no one has approached me regarding anything,” Fernandes confirmed. “If someone were to say, ‘look, we’ll come back in the summer,’ that hasn’t happened yet.”
“I don’t believe Al Hilal was pleased with my decision to decline their offer, and understandably so, as it was alluring for me in terms of salary and benefits. It represented a significant change.”
“I am happy here and aspire to fulfill my ambitions, but I cannot discuss matters outside the club. I’ve seen various rumors suggesting I had an agreement to leave next season. If any such agreement was made, it was not done with me.”
“I haven’t communicated with anyone about this. My agent understands my working style; if he wishes to discuss anything with me, it will have to wait until after the World Cup because I won’t engage with anyone before that.”
In his six years at Old Trafford, Fernandes has secured both the League Cup and the FA Cup. He remains determined to win the Premier League and the Champions League with United, while also leaving the possibility open for a future return to former club Sporting CP.
“If given the opportunity to play in Portugal again, Sporting would always be my first choice,” he expressed. “However, we also feel at home here. Often, in conversations with my family, we reflect that our life here feels more like home than the one we have in Portugal.”
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“My ultimate goal remains to win the Premier League and the Champions League [with United]. Whether that will happen is uncertain.”
“The first thing I discussed with my wife [during the summer] when the Saudi offer came in was whether I had accomplished everything I aimed to achieve at the club. She knows I haven’t done so.”
“When I say I haven’t fulfilled my dreams at Manchester United, I reflect heavily on her perspective. Neither of us is sure of the future, but if I don’t pursue it, I will certainly not achieve it.”