Bruno Fernandes says he had an opportunity to join Al-Hilal, but turned down the offer to continue playing ‘at the highest level’ with Manchester United.
Al-Hilal had been willing to pay United a fee of £100million to prise the 30-year-old midfielder away from Old Trafford this summer.
The Saudi Pro League outfit also told Fernandes there were prepared to triple his current wages to get a deal over the line for the Portugal international – United’s captain and talisman.
Fernandes would have been in line to bank around £200m over a three-year period had he said yes and his entourage held discussions with Al-Hilal over the weekend.
But widespread reports this morning indicated that Fernandes had decided to reject Al-Hilal’s proposal in order to stay on at the Theatre of Dreams for what will be his sixth full season.
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‘There was an opportunity. The club [United] called me and asked if I wanted to go there,’ Fernandes told reporters ahead of the Portugal’s Nations League semi-final with Germany.
‘They were waiting for me. I spoke to coach [Ruben] Amorim and He asked me not to go.
‘Manchester United didn’t want to sell me. They don’t need the money.
‘If I had wanted to leave, they would have made it happen.’
On the struggles United encountered across their wretched campaign last term, Fernandes added: ‘Our season was very tough, we weren’t able to achieve our goals. That’s a negative.
‘I love being here with the national team now. I’m always happy here.
I hope we can reach the Nations League final.’
More to follow.