Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was a key target for Saudi Arabian clubs this summer. Multiple top-tier clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), including Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al Ittihad, launched aggressive pursuits of the 30-year-old Portuguese midfielder. However, he ultimately chose to stay at Old Trafford.
It is reported that before the FIFA Club World Cup, Al Hilal took the lead in making a move—they even invited Fernandes’ agent, Miguel Pinto, to Saudi Arabia for a week of negotiations. Despite Al Hilal preparing an offer of over £80 million, Fernandes, after consulting with his family, decided to play for Manchester United for at least one more season. He believes staying at the club is more appropriate in a World Cup year, especially as this may be his last chance to compete in the FIFA World Cup.
In late July, Al Nassr also initiated contact, with Cristiano Ronaldo even personally participating in the recruitment. After renewing his contract with the club, Ronaldo has been directly involved in the team’s transfer operations. However, Fernandes made it clear that he wanted to continue playing in Europe for at least 12 months and informed Ronaldo of this decision directly.
Two weeks before the closure of the transfer window, Saudi champions Al Ittihad also contacted Fernandes. But due to having already filled their foreign player quotas, the transfer could not proceed. Al Ittihad then shifted their focus to Braga’s 19-year-old winger Roger Fernandes, as he qualifies for the U21 registration quota. Although there were rumors that Fabinho or N’Golo Kanté might leave the club to make room for Bruno Fernandes, both players ultimately stayed.
On Manchester United’s side, while the club firmly rejected offers for Fernandes this summer, it has not ruled out reconsidering a sale in the summer of 2025—especially since they are interested in pursuing Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, a deal expected to exceed £100 million. At the same time, Saudi clubs have not given up either; they still plan to make a strong move in the summer of 2026. Overall, even though the Saudi transfer window has not yet closed, Fernandes will continue to wear the Red Devils’ jersey this season. However, considering potential future possibilities, this may be his last season at Manchester United.
