Manchester United's skipper Bruno Fernandes has disclosed that he turned down a substantial transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal during the summer transfer window, with the Middle Eastern club prepared to pay between £80million and £100m for his services.
The 31-year-old Portuguese international chose to remain at Old Trafford, driven by his ambition to secure the Premier League title and Champions League glory with the Red Devils.
Before making his decision, Fernandes sought counsel from those closest to him, including his spouse Ana, who posed a crucial question about his unfulfilled ambitions at the club.
"The first question when I spoke to my wife was, 'Look, we have this offer from Saudi'," Fernandes revealed. "And obviously the first thing she said was, 'Have you achieved everything you wanted to achieve at the club?' Because she knows that I haven't."
Bruno Fernandes has revealed he has not completed all of his goals at Manchester United
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The midfielder also consulted former United legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and is coached by Jorge Jesus, Al-Hilal's former manager.
Fernandes has netted 100 goals for United since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020 for £67.7m, believes he can help end the club's championship drought.
United's hierarchy aims to capture their 21st league title by 2028, and Fernandes remains committed to this objective despite the life-changing financial package on offer from Saudi Arabia.
His current contract runs until 2027, with an option for an additional twelve months.
"I spoke with Cristiano about the situation, about Saudi and everything," Fernandes stated, adding that whilst Ronaldo offered his perspective based on his extensive experience, the ultimate decision remained his own.
The United captain informed chief executive Omar Berrada about Al-Hilal's approach whilst the team was touring Malaysia following the previous season.
"I had a conversation with Omar and I told him, 'Look, this is what is on the table. I know the club might be looking at this in a way. I will be looking at it in a different way so I just want to know from your perspective, from your side, what's the point of view, what you guys want to do,'" Fernandes explained.
Bruno Fernandes rejected a life-changing amount of money from Saudi club Al-Hilal
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Both Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox acknowledged the substantial nature of the bid, which would have represented United's largest sale in recent years, dwarfing the £25 million received for Daniel James in 2021.
Manager Ruben Amorim also expressed his desire to keep Fernandes, emphasising the need to strengthen the squad around him rather than lose such a pivotal player.
Al-Hilal were reportedly disappointed by Fernandes' rejection of their proposal.
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Fernandes has made it clear that any discussions about his future will be postponed until after the 2026 World Cup, with his representatives aware of his stance on the matter.
"My agent also knows how I work, so if he wants to talk to me, it will be after the World Cup. Because until then, I won't speak to anyone," the midfielder confirmed.
Despite ongoing interest from various parties, including European clubs alongside Saudi suitors, Fernandes remains focused on his immediate objectives at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes has confidence that Ruben Amorim can lead them to the title
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"Obviously, everyone knows my aim is to win the Premier League and the Champions League with the club," he stated, whilst acknowledging the uncertainty of achieving these goals.
The captain's commitment comes as he prepares for his 300th appearance for United against Brighton on Saturday, having contributed 87 assists alongside his century of goals since his arrival nearly six years ago.