Bruno Fernandes thought he was moving to Man Utd's Premier League rival

Life could look very different for Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes if his initial hunch had proven right.

When the Portuguese midfielder received a phone call from his agent five years ago and told him of a Premier League team that wished to sign him, Fernandes was convinced the club in question was Tottenham Hotspur.

The then-24-year-old's star had risen exponentially while at Sporting Lisbon, becoming the highest-scoring Portuguese midfielder in a single season of all time in the 2018-19 campaign and being named Primeira Liga Player of the Year for two years running.

The laurels eventually led to a bevy of transfer rumours, including links to the Premier League. According to Fernandes, a mooted move to Tottenham Hotspur was the only rumour to have any substance to it.

Penning a letter in the Players' Tribune to United fans ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final, Fernandes wrote: "It feels weird to me now, but at the time, I was excited. One of my life goals was to play in the Premier League. I tried to block out all the noise, but in the age we are living in, with social media and phones and text, of course my friends let me know about the rumours.

"As a kid from Portugal, you can’t help but dream a bit about playing at the big grounds in England. In the end, the clubs couldn’t reach an agreement, and the deal fell apart."

A few months passed before Fernandes received another call from his agent, this time detailing another transfer to the Premier League all but certain, only requiring his say-so. And Fernandes was convinced that the club was once again Tottenham.

"He [Fernandes' agent] said, 'Are you ready to hear the news?'

"I said, 'About what?'

“About going. ”

“Going where? Spurs?”

“United.”

“Are you joking?”

Fernandes joined United in January 2020, putting pen to paper on a five-and-a-half year contract. The signing proved prescient, with the midfielder becoming the first United player to nab back-to-back Premier League Player of the Month awards since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2006-07 season, while also being named Sir Matt Busby's Player of the Year at the end of the season.

The United skipper has recently claimed the award for an impressive third time. His standards have rarely slipped, racking up a total of 144 goals and assists in 232 appearances.

Yet, a lone Carabao Cup winners' medal could be all Fernandes has to show for his efforts as United continue to coast in and out of a myriad of crises and managers. United have endured another torrid season, clinging to eighth in the Premier League, their lowest finishing position since 1990.

Only victory in the FA Cup final against Manchester City can get them into Europe next season, with a Europa League spot on the line.

Fernandes will lead out United at Wembley in the FA Cup final on Saturday, but it could be his final game for the Red Devils. The club are open to selling players to raise funds, and Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have both expressed interest in procuring the 29-year-old's talents.

Fernandes maintained in his letter that he wished to stay at Manchester United, but he laid out numerous expectations for the Old Trafford bosses if he is to do so, including challenging for the title and playing in the Champions League.

"I love to step out at Old Trafford more than anything in the world. I don’t want to leave. This has always been my ultimate dream," Fernandes wrote.

"I just want my expectations to fit with the expectations of the club. If you go talk to any fan, they will tell you the same thing. We want to compete for the league. We want to be playing Champions League football. We want to be in cup finals. That is the standard. That is what I want. That is what you all deserve.

"I just want to keep fighting. I want to be here. My family wants to be here."