As we learned early this morning, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes will not be making the move to Al-Hilal of the Saudi Pro League. One of the most intriguing potential transfers of this silly season, the Saudi club was wiling to pay United £100 million for the services of the Portugese midfielder.
Al-Hilal were also willing to make a contract proposal that would have tripled Fernandes’ salary.
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All in all, he would have made a total of £200 million ($270.9 million) over the life of his deal.
So how and why did he say no?
“Manchester United said they didn’t want to sell me,” Fernandes said to the media, at a press conference ahead of Portugal’s Nations League semifinal against Germany.
“They said if I wanted to go I could, but they didn’t need the money. I spoke to coach Ruben Amorim who, throughout that period, he was pushing for me not to go.”
Bruno made it clear that he wanted to stay in Europe.
“I want to play at the highest possible level,” he continued.
“I want to play major competitions. I know I still can and I want to be happy doing the thing I love the most.
“For better or worse, this is how I see football and I’m passionate about football and this is the decision I’ve made.”
It’s interesting that the United captain said these things, considering how his club do not qualify for UEFA competition next season.
When United brought Bruno Fernandes over from Sporting Lisbon in January of 2020, his transfer fee was £47m, so MUFC would have made a really nice profit on this deal, had it actually gone through.
Al-Hilal, who made Bruno Fernandes their top transfer target, will now prepare for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which commences in 10 days time.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter