Bruno Fernandes, the 31-year-old midfielder for Manchester United, has shed light on the club’s intentions regarding his potential departure last summer. In a candid discussion, Fernandes claimed that Manchester United’s hierarchy was open to cashing in on him but lacked the courage to defy head coach Ruben Amorim’s wishes. The player who recently extended his contract until 2026 disclosed that he had opportunities to leave the club in previous summers. He even turned down tempting offers from Saudi Arabia.
Fernandes’ comments recently surfaced after the Portuguese playmaker – who joined Manchester United in 2020 – celebrated his 300th appearance for the club. He is under contract with the club through 2027, with an option for a further season. Even in the face of continued speculation about his future, he decided to stay at Old Trafford, prioritizing professional and personal interests.
Manchester United’s Approach to Fernandes
Fernandes says that Manchester United’s new management even sent him signals that they were ready to allow him to leave, should he wish to do so. He noted that Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada expressed their preference for him to stay, stating, “Jason, like Omar, said ‘we won’t say no but we want you to stay at the club. If you want to go, we won’t say that it’s not the offer for us because obviously it’s massive money.’”
This duality in the club’s approach meant that Fernandes, unable to speak out publicly, was at war with himself. He continued, “During the club, I was like, ‘If you quit, it doesn’t affect us that much.’ That’s what hurts a little bit. More than hurting, makes me sad. I’m a player who has nothing to point to, I’m always available, I always give the best of me.”
The 29-year-old playmaker stressed that he had every right to just take the money and sign a bigger contract with another club. He reflected on past opportunities, stating, “I could have left in this market, I was going to earn a lot more money. A season ago I was going to leave. I was going to win many trophies this season.”
The Decision to Stay
With all that money on the table it seems Fernandes decided to stay in the end with Manchester United. He urged them to understand that when he decided not to run again, it wasn’t all about the dollars. It equally stemmed from his desire and love for the club. “I decided not to go [to Saudi Arabia], not only for family reasons, but because I genuinely liked the club,” he said.
Fernandes opened up about his chance to join a different club. His loyalty to Manchester United limited his potential. He previously criticized the gumption of the club’s leadership. He thought that they wouldn’t prevent his departure if he genuinely wanted to leave. “I told the directors that, I don’t think they had the courage to make that decision because the coach wanted me,” Fernandes remarked.
Reflections on Loyalty and Career
Writing about loyalty in football last month, United midfielder Bruno Fernandes described a different understanding of loyalty. He wrote specifically about the assumption that players over 30 should just accept the end of their career. He stated, “The issue of loyalty is not as well-regarded as it used to be.” This anecdote is telling of the changing landscape of the game and about player contracts.
The player further added that he’d been advised to join him to Saudi Arabia by compatriot superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Al Hilal, arguably the biggest of the Saudi clubs chasing Fernandes, is majority-owned, like the other powerful Saudi clubs, by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
Leave a Reply