Bruno Fernandes could leave Manchester United and is being followed by two Champions League giants
Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes is reportedly set to be approached with a shock summer transfer offer, according to a new report. While Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked to the player, Al Hilal has emerged as an interested party.
Fernandes, United’s captain, has been his side’s key player this season, scoring 19 goals and providing 15 assists in all competitions. His most recent goals came in the 3-0 away win over Athletic Bilbao, giving United a key advantage heading into the second leg of their Europa League semi-final. There is high respect of his quality in the sport.
With United currently sitting at 15th in the Premier League and potentially missing out on European competition next season, Fernandes has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford. However, those reports were just from La Liga and were never going to be a reality.
Manager Ruben Amorim previously quashed any suggestions of a transfer away, showing that Manchester United don’t want to let him go.
Al Hilal enters the fray
According to Saudi Arabian journalist Abdullah Al-Hunayan, Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal have held talks with Fernandes’ agent and lawyer over a possible transfer before the start of the Club World Cup on June 14.
Al Hilal is Saudi Arabia’s sole representative in the competition, having won the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Among their playing ranks are former Premier League stars Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves, and Joao Cancelo – the latter two of whom are international teammates with Fernandes for Portugal. A large squad filled with stars.
It is unknown if they were to make the offer and sign Fernandes. There has been plenty of discussion about the situation, but there has been no definitive conclusion, but Al Hilal’s presence in this conversation cannot be overlooked.
Amorim insists Fernandes is staying put
The United captain has two years left on his contract, with journalist Paco Gonzalez previously telling Spanish outlet Cadena COPE that Real valued the midfielder at around $90 million when considering whether to table a bid.
It is likely, therefore, that if a club did hold serious transfer interest, United would hold out for a much more lucrative sum – if they were even considering selling him at all. This is especially true if Amorim will still be present, as the bond between them is strong.
Speaking about the midfielder’s future in April, Amorim commented: “No. It’s [a transfer] not going to happen. I want Bruno here because we want to win the Premier League again, so we want the best players … he’s not going anywhere. We are in control of the situation and I feel that he is really happy here.”