Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has no intentions of joining a Saudi Pro League club this year.
Saudi Pro League clubs have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Portuguese international Bruno Fernandes. According to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, the Manchester United skipper has no intentions of moving to the Middle East at this stage of his career. He wants to continue playing at the highest level for as long as possible.
Fernandes made a name for himself while playing for Sporting CP. On the back of his incredible rise, the Red Devils forked out €55 million to sign him at the start of 2020. The experienced playmaker has only gone from strength to strength over the years, and he has been one of the standout performers for United in one of their most difficult phases.
While the player’s contract at Old Trafford runs until the summer of 2027, his future has been a massive talking point since last summer. The Portuguese international had the option to join a Saudi Pro League giant last summer. There was a lucrative contract on the table, but Fernandes turned it down in favour of staying at United.
Bruno Fernandes later claimed that Manchester United bosses were ready to sanction his departure, which certainly didn’t go down well with people at the club. Following those comments, he has been constantly linked with a move away from Old Trafford.
Pete O’Rourke on Fernandes’s future
While speaking about his future, O’Rourke said, “I think he can definitely stay beyond this summer. He’s under contract until 2027, and there’s an option in that deal, as well, to extend it. If he was to become available, there’s no doubt that there would be clubs interested in him.
“We know that obviously there has been interest from the Saudi Pro League before, but I’m not sure that Fernandes is ready to move there at this stage of his career. He still wants to play at the highest level.“
Once again, the Saudi Pro League has emerged as a potential destination. He is a marquee target for the league, and they are willing to do everything in their power to land him. However, Fernandes does not seem interested in a switch to the Middle East at this stage of his career.
The 31-year-old feels there is still a lot of football left in him. As a result, he will look to join another top club in Europe, where he can compete for all major titles. While Manchester United could look to cash in on him next summer as he will only have a year left on his deal, he is still unlikely to move to Saudi Arabia and will prefer joining another top club in Europe. There is also an option to extend his stay at Old Trafford by another 12 months.
