Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has claimed that the club wanted him to leave for Saudi Arabia in the summer.
The Portuguese midfielder, 31, was strongly linked with a
move to Saudi Arabia during the latest transfer window. An £80million offer
from Al-Hilal was tabled during United’s post-season tour in May, but he
rejected the offer.
In a bombshell new interview given to Portuguese
outlet Canal 11, the United captain opened up on Al-Hilal's pursuit in the
summer and how he was left saddened by the fact Manchester were keen for him to
move on.
Fernandes, who revealed he spoke to Cristiano
Ronaldo about a potential switch to Saudi Arabia, said: 'Manchester United
wanted me to leave, I have that in my head.
'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.'
The issue of loyalty isn't viewed the same way it used to
be,' he said.
'I could have left in the last transfer window and I
would have earned much more money. 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.'
He added: 'If one day I have to play in Saudi Arabia,
I'll play in Saudi Arabia.'
'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.
'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 30
million, 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.'
The Portuguese has racked up 11 goal contributions in
16 Premier League games this season, and he was again on target in
the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth on Monday.
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