Bruno Fernandes says he had an opportunity to join Al-Hilal, but turned down the offer to continue playing ‘at the highest level’ and challenge for ‘major titles’ with Manchester United.
Al-Hilal had been willing to pay United a fee of £100million to prise the 30-year-old midfielder away from Old Trafford this summer.
The Saudi Pro League outfit also informed Fernandes’ camp there were prepared to triple his current wages to get a deal over the line for the Portugal international – United’s captain and talisman.
Fernandes would have been in line to bank around £200m over a three-year period had he said yes to the lucrative move and his entourage held positive discussions with Al-Hilal over the weekend.
But widespread reports this morning indicated that Fernandes had decided to reject Al-Hilal’s proposal in order to stay on at the Theatre of Dreams for what will be his sixth full season.
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‘There was an opportunity. The president [of Al-Hilal] called me and asked if I wanted to go there. They were waiting for me,’ Fernandes told reporters ahead of the Portugal’s Nations League semi-final with Germany.
‘I spoke to coach [Ruben] Amorim and he asked me not to go. My wife asked me what I wanted to do.
‘It would have been easy to move there as I know the Portuguese players there very well, but I want to play at the highest level and compete for major titles.’
Fernandes echoed what Amorim had suggested just days earlier, claiming United ‘don’t need the money’ enough to sell him this summer.
‘Manchester United didn’t want to sell me. They don’t need the money,’ he added.
‘If I had wanted to leave, they would have made it happen.’
Fernandes is keen to put the rumours over his future to bed and focus on purely footballing matters, with a place in the Nations League final at stake on Wednesday evening.
‘Our season [at United] was very tough, we weren’t able to achieve our goals. That’s a negative,’ he continued.
‘I love being here with the national team now. I’m always happy here.
‘I hope we can reach the Nations League final.’
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Amorim played down speculation that Fernandes may have played his last game for United as he faced the media following his side’s 3-1 win over Hong Kong.
‘I don’t think so. I don’t know for sure, nobody knows, but I don’t think so,’ the United head coach said.
‘He’s seen us taking some actions to change all the things. I think that is all he asks.
‘I think he wants to stay. He is saying no to a lot of things but he chose that he wants to win. I think he’s really good and he needs to be on the best league in the world.’
When it was put to Amorim that United may not be able to afford rejecting a lucrative offer for his fellow countryman, he replied: ‘We can find another way to win money.
‘Of course, I’m the manager, I’m the coach. Sometimes, it’s the decision of the player.
‘Of course, I talk with him. I explain things and I just have that feeling, when you talk to someone, you have the feeling if they want to stay.’
Arguably United’s standout signing in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, Fernandes was once again the club’s shining light across an otherwise miserable season.
While the Red Devils finished with their lowest ever Premier League points tally, Fernandes managed to rack up eight goals and 11 assists in the English top flight.
Fernandes, formerly of Sporting and Sampdoria, has two years remaining on his current contract at Old Trafford.
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