Bruno Fernandes has revealed why he rejected a move to Al-Hilal and also confirmed that talks with his wife and Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim were key in his decision.
The Portuguese international was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia club side Al-Hilal ahead of the 2025/26 season after the Red Devils had one of their worst campaigns in 50 years. Al Hilal had been willing to almost treble Fernandes’ £750,000-a-week wages, having been prepared to pay Manchester United £100m to sign the club’s captain.
Bruno Fernandes while on duty with the Portuguese national team confirmed that he had contact with Al Hilal but opted against the move because he wanted to play at the highest level in Europe.
He said,
“The president of Al Hilal called me a month ago to ask about the possibility of me moving there. I had to wait a while to think about the future. As I have 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. spoke to the club, who said they weren’t willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.”
He continued,
“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.”
When will Bruno Fernandes contract expire at Manchester United?
Fernandes has a contract with Manchester United which will expire in 2027 with an option to extend by an extra 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.
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