Bruno Fernandes admits love of Man Utd led to him turning down £100m Saudi move last summer but suggests he does not know whether future lies at Old Trafford

Fernandes was strongly pursued by clubs in Saudi Arabia and lucrative contracts worth a staggering £33m ($45m) per year in wages were floated his way in an attempt to bring the attacking midfielder to the Middle East. Despite the mammoth money involved, the Portuguese international had no interest in making a switch away from Old Trafford, with some suggesting he wanted to be playing at a top level ahead of the World Cup next summer.

The Daily Mail had claimed that Fernandes would be open to a move to the Saudi Pro League, MLS or another European league, but only after the tournament in 2026. The report suggested that the midfielder did not want any upheaval before such a major competition and so opted to stay at United for the 2025/26 campaign.

Arguably United’s best and most important player of the last five years, Fernandes could have sought a move away from the side that finished 15th in the Premier League last season. The Portuguese midfielder is still one of the division’s stand out players and would have been well within his rights to look for a club playing Champions League football or one which could have offered him a far heavier pay package.

Despite this, Fernandes has confirmed he had always planned on staying at United and added that the club had always wanted him to continue playing for them. Yet, his outward display of loyalty to the Red Devils was caveated by his confession that he has not closed the door on a move to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere completely.

Speaking to the media ahead of Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday night, Fernandes responded to queries around his future. Asked initially whether the World Cup had been on his mind in the summer when considering his future, Fernandes quashed the idea that he was even looking at a potential move away from Old Trafford.

He said, via the Daily Mail: “I didn't close the door on moving to Saudi Arabia because of the World Cup. That was never in my mind. I wanted to stay at Manchester United, and the club wanted me to stay. That's all there is to it.”

Yet, Fernandes was not willing to be drawn into discussions over his future at the club beyond the current season and next summer’s major international tournament. The Red Devils’ captain said that nothing has been discussed with him regarding his future and that thinking about where he could be this time next year was, he said, “an impossible scenario to imagine.”

He added: “I like to enjoy the moment, and the most important thing for me now is representing the national team, because it's a source of enormous pride to be able to play tomorrow [Saturday], and I still don't know if I'll play, let alone if I'll leave Manchester United in a year.

“I'm happy where I am. Otherwise, I wouldn't have stayed, but it's something that doesn't affect me.”

Whether Fernandes is happy to continue battling in the lower reaches of the Premier League for much longer remains to be seen. Ruben Amorim’s team picked up the new campaign where they left the last and languish in mid-table, thanks to a run of inconsistent form and lacklustre performances.

The Portuguese midfielder has also seen his role change slightly and is now playing deeper as part of the central midfield pairing in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system. Dropping Fernandes down the pitch in order to accommodate new signings Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko has not helped the captain’s form either.

It may not have impacted his decision over a transfer, but the World Cup will be in the back of Fernandes’ mind for the rest of the season. 2026 will likely be the final opportunity for a generation of some of the nation’s greatest players, including Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.

They take on Ireland knowing that victory will put them well on their way to achieving qualification, with another win against Hungary on Tuesday ensuring their place at the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico next June.