Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League, turning down a bumper proposal from Al Hilal.
The league in Saudi Arabia has been turning heads as it seeks to attract some of football’s biggest stars. In a short span, they brought top names to the Middle East, including Cristiano Ronaldo and World Cup winner N’Golo Kanté.
With United suffering one of the worst seasons in the club’s history, finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League and enduring heartbreak in the Europa League final, it is safe to say that change is desperately needed at Old Trafford.
Fernandes has been one of the shining lights for United in a challenging season, playing a crucial role in their journey to a European final. The 30-year-old fell just short of 40 goal contributions this campaign, with 19 goals and assists each in all competitions, and was the only United player to reach double figures.
Playing such a prominent role, keeping the Portuguese midfielder at Old Trafford could be an important decision for United’s future. However, there could be implications for them also after Fabrizio Romano revealed that Fernandes has turned down a “crazy” contract offer from the Saudi Pro League club.
Bruno Fernandes’ Decision Will Not Impact Manchester United’s Transfer Business.
Ruben Amorim has already set to work on his side at Old Trafford, with the side having agreed a deal to bring Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha in for a fee of £62.5 million. There is still plenty of work to be done on his side, though, with improvements needed in defence in particular.
Fernandes’ decision to stay put has been influenced by his desire to continue playing football at the top level. However, United face a season without European football after their final league position and Europa League final loss. Not only does that mar the midfielder’s plans slightly, but it also makes life harder for the club in the transfer market.
Yesterday, it was revealed that Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo had made his decision that the Red Devils would be his next club. If Mbeumo joins up at Old Trafford, it would see another attacker join the team, giving Amorim a selection headache. Following Romano’s news that Fernandes would be staying, Ben Jacobs also revealed that the 30-year-old’s decision will not impact a bid for the Brentford winger and that United’s transfer business is independent of the Portuguese midfielder.
Manchester United Could Suffer from Fernandes’ Decision.
The ongoing issues at United seem to be never-ending, and keeping a senior player of Fernandes’ calibre around seems like a wise decision through the uncertainty. However, the issue of age does arise, meaning a record-breaking bid would most likely not surface again for the midfielder.
Given the amount of work the squad appears to need, combined with the lack of European football next season, it would be fair to say that this United side is a project that will take multiple years to rebuild. Given that the midfielder is 30, he most likely will not be around to bear the fruits of the labour at Manchester United.
Signings like Cunha and Mbeumo would mean that the Red Devils are overnumbered in the attacking department, and the performances of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee will have done little to convince any suitors to allow United to recoup some of their losses for the forwards. While young talents such as Alejandro Garnacho could make their way out this summer, Fernandes turning down a big-money move will still most likely hinder the Premier League’s sleeping giants’ transfer business this summer.