Saudi Pro-League club Al-Hilal were prepared to offer Bruno Fernandes a £750,000-a-week deal - in a package worth £200m to the player - to join them ahead of this summer’s Club World Cup
Bruno Fernandes insists he is happy at Manchester United after snubbing a £300million move to Saudi Arabia after talks with his wife. Saudi Pro-League club Al-Hilal were prepared to offer the Portugal star a £750,000-a-week deal - in a package worth £200m to the player - to join them ahead of this summer’s Club World Cup.
They were ready to pay over £100m to convince United to sell. But United captain Fernandes informed them he would not make the move after discussing it with his family.
The 30-year-old midfielder is now expected to stay at United where he earns £250,000-a-week. “There was an opportunity," said the Portugal international.
"The [Al-Hilal] president called me and asked if I wanted to go there. Manchester United didn’t want to sell me. They don’t need the money.
“There was a waiting period on my part to think about what the future would hold. I would be open to it, if Manchester United felt it was my time. I spoke with Mister Ruben Amorim, who really tried to talk me out of it.
“I spoke with the club, which wasn’t willing to sell, only if I truly wanted to leave. We never talked about money; that was all handled by my agent, not me.”
Fernandes’ wife, Ana Pinho, was crucial in the decision to stay despite the chance to link up with international team-mates in the Middle East and earn huge money.
“I spoke with my family to understand if that was what I wanted for my future,” Fernandes said ahead of Portugal’s Nations League semi-final against Germany.
“It was actually my wife who asked me — I never said yes or no. She put my professional priorities ahead of everything else. It would have been an easy move. I had Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo there, two people I have a great friendship with.
“But I want to stay at the highest level, play in big competitions, because I still feel capable. I want to keep being happy, I’m still very passionate about this sport, and I’m happy with my decision.”
Fernandes is eager to remain playing at the top level in Europe and will remain part of Ruben Amorim’s rebuild at Old Trafford following a horror campaign which saw them finish 15th in the Premier League.
Former United captain Gary Neville said: “I don’t think anyone has doubted his commitment to Manchester United. He’s consistent, his chances created, goals, assists have been sensational.
“The fact that he wants to stay, the fact that he wants to go through this and come out the other side, because it would have been easy for him at the end of this season to say, 'Look, I'm done here,' will endear him towards Manchester United fans even more.
"To turn that money down at a point where Manchester United are at their lowest ebb and say, 'No, I want to fight through this, I want to see it through the other side, I want to come out and achieve things,' I think it says a lot about him as a person, as a character. The club needs people who are going to run through a brick wall for them."