Bruno Fernandes confirmed he has rejected a mega-money move to Saudi Arabia and revealed how talks with his wife and Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim were key in his decision.
Al Hilal had been willing to almost treble Fernandes’ £250,000-a-week wages, having been prepared to pay Manchester United £100m to sign the club’s captain.
But on Tuesday morning, Sky Sports News reported the 30-year-old had turned down Al Hilal’s offer as he did not want to move to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career.
On Tuesday evening, while on international duty with Portugal, Fernandes confirmed he had contact with Al Hilal but opted against the move because he wanted to “stay at the highest level”.
“The president of Al Hilal called me a month ago to ask about the possibility of me moving there,” Fernandes told a press conference, according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo.
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“I had to wait a while to think about the future. As I’ve 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.
“I spoke to the club, who said they weren’t willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“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.”
Manchester United do not want to sell their captain. He has a contract until 2027 with the option of a further 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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