Manchester United are willing to sell a second player to Saudi Arabia as Bruno Fernandes considers ditching the Premier League giants for Al Hilal.
Fernandes, United’s best and most important player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, has held talks over a lucrative summer move to the Saudi Pro League club.
The Old Trafford captain is yet to make a final decision on his future but is believed to be leaning towards leaving United for a move that would earn him around £200m over three years.
Ruben Amorim is desperate to keep Fernandes at the club but Manchester United are open to a sale given their poor financial position.
Failing to qualify for the Champions League cost the club around £100m and selling Fernandes for around that figure would bolster Amorim’s summer transfer kitty.
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As things stand and before any sales, United will only have around £100m to spend and that will not go far considering the Manchester giants have already activated the £62.5m release clause of Wolves star Matheus Cunha.
Amorim is desperate for significant investment after Manchester United finished just 15th in the Premier League but that will require several outgoings.
United have already released Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof but the club are also open to selling Andre Onana.
Like Fernandes, Onana has attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League despite an inconsistent and disappointing season at Old Trafford.
The Cameroon international arrived at United having just helped Inter Milan reach the Champions League final but there have been calls for the £47.5m to be replaced.
According to Fabrizio Romano and The United Stand, Old Trafford bosses are open to the idea of selling Onana and will ‘entertain offers’ from rival clubs this summer.
Recent reports have claimed Onana is in advanced talks with newly-promoted Saudi Pro League side Neom SC but while United would be open to talks, The United Stand say this is yet to occur.
Most Manchester United fans are dreading the prospect of Fernandes leaving but club legend Paul Scholes believes an offer of £100m would be too good to refuse.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, he said: ‘They are talking about £100m for him, Man United cannot say no to that.
‘I know he has been brilliant and carried the team on his back, but where does he actually play, what is his position?
‘Do you see him as a number 10? Do you see him as a holding midfielder? He almost confuses the whole system. I mean, he has been brilliant, don’t get me wrong.
‘But when you’re getting £100m for him, you snap your hands and take it.’
Manchester United manager Amorim, meanwhile, is confident Fernandes has not played his last game for the club.
‘I don’t think so, I don’t know for sure,’ he said at the end of United’s post-season tour of Asia. ‘Nobody knows but I don’t think so.
‘I think he is seeing us taking some actions to change all the things and I think he saw that and I think he wants to stay.
‘He is saying no to a lot of things but he shows he wants to win. He’s really young, he’s really good he needs to be in the best league in the world.’
Since his £67m from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has scored 98 goals in 290 appearances for Manchester United and provided 51 assists in the Premier League alone.
The 30-year-old has been named the club’s Player of the Year four times in five full seasons at Old Trafford.
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