- Bruno Fernandes rejected a big-money move to Al Hilal last summer.
- He said he stayed at Manchester United because he still had unfinished business.
- The captain remains focused on winning the Premier League and Champions League.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed that he rejected a lucrative transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal last summer, insisting he still had unfinished business at Old Trafford.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show hosted by Wayne Rooney, the Portuguese midfielder said the decision was influenced by his family and his personal ambition to achieve more at Manchester United despite the financial appeal of the move.
“I stayed because I thought I still had something that I could give back to the club,” Fernandes said.
He admitted the Saudi offer came with significant financial incentives but stressed that money was not his main motivation.
“There was a lot. The good thing I have in my family is that my wife is pretty down to earth like me. We’re very aware that we don’t want to be the richest person in the world. We just want to achieve our dreams and live a good life with our kids,” he said.
Fernandes added that his wife played a key role in helping him make the final decision.
“The words of my wife were like, ‘Have you achieved your dreams? Have you achieved everything you wanted?’ That made me realise she’s on the same page as me,” he said.
The 31-year-old also explained that he was not willing to leave United during a difficult period for the club, following a disappointing 15th-place finish last season.
“I didn’t want to leave the club at the point where we were struggling,” he said.
Fernandes, who joined Manchester United in 2020, has scored 106 goals in 322 appearances and won the FA Cup and League Cup. He reiterated his ambition to win major titles.
“I want to win the Premier League. I want to win the Champions League. I never hide from that,” he said.
The midfielder, whose contract has one year remaining, is expected to hold talks over a possible extension amid ongoing financial restructuring at the club under co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Former captain Wayne Rooney praised Fernandes during the interview, while the midfielder also acknowledged competition from players like Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhães for individual honours, describing it as a privilege to be recognised among the league’s best.
