Bruno Fernandes opens up on turning down Al Hilal, guided by Ronaldo’s advice

Context around a blockbuster offer

The Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United has returned to discussing his future at Old Trafford after being linked with a move to Al Hilal this past summer, a saga that kept fans guessing and pundits busy around the clock.

Family talks, money, and staying the course

In an interview highlighted by the Daily Mail, the Portugal international described the early conversation with his wife Anna about how a Saudi bid might ripple through their family routine, school runs, and weekends that once involved carefree dinners and a more predictable life.

He recalled telling her, Look, we have an offer from Saudi Arabia, and she asked whether any destination would help him achieve the targets he still dreams of at United if he left the club behind.

Her response, he said, was: Have you already achieved everything you wanted at the club? He confessed that he had not yet, and that future opportunities deserved careful weighing against the security of staying.

Fernandes emphasized that while money matters to everyone, he is not in a position where he must count every penny or worry about the future if he manages his affairs wisely and with a long-term view of the project he signs up for.

He added that his family are not poor, but they are not wealthy either; they understand the daily realities of life, and they know that a change of scenery would come with a major impact beyond the bank balance.

On life in Manchester, Fernandes said his family feels settled, the children enjoy school, and they appreciate the lifestyle despite the unpredictable weather and the pressures that come with playing for a club of United’s stature; in his words, home sometimes feels more like a country than a city.

Asked whether the choice was simply a matter of opportunity, he insisted that he never actively sought to leave, and that the project had to be compelling enough to persuade him to consider moving; nothing about the saga had forced him to pull the trigger.

Afterward, the piece recounted how talks with Al Hilal did take place, with a reported tempting range of offers that would have made many players think twice, including a substantial eight- to nine-figure sum in pounds, should the clubs have wanted him badly enough.

Manchester United, in contrast, continued to frame Fernandes as part of their long-term plans, with discussions held during the club’s Asia tour and meetings that sought to map a path forward for both sides, even if a future exit remained on the table as a hypothetical.

Fernandes explained that he spoke with executive Omar Barada and football director Jason Wilcox; the messages were clear: the club would not refuse a step out if the timing and the project aligned, but the emphasis remained on staying if the offer did not satisfy the ambition of the club and the player alike.

He noted that European clubs had touched base to gauge interest, yet no concrete framework emerged beyond the Saudi negotiations, and that any potential departure would have required a plan as robust as the one devised by United’s leadership for the squad’s development in the coming years.

Turning to Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus, Fernandes said he leaned on the counsel of his close friends and mentors before making a decision, highlighting Ronaldo’s sagacity and Jesus’s experience as crucial inputs during a period of intense speculation.

“First thing he asked me was whether you are worth the money the club would invest,” Fernandes recalled of Ronaldo’s words, answering that no one is priceless for every club, but that meaningful value must be measured against the project’s realities.

Looking ahead, he said that Ronaldo’s and Jesus’s perspectives helped him see both the financial lure and the sense of belonging that a player needs to feel at a club, and he wanted to preserve that balance in his own choices.

When asked whether the door to a move to the Saudi league remains open at the end of the season, Fernandes admitted that the offer was huge and appealing in every conceivable way, but he could not commit to a definitive decision at this time; such matters depend on timing, chemistry, and what the future holds for Manchester United’s plans.

With two years left on his contract at Old Trafford, Fernandes still hopes to win the Premier League or the Champions League before his career ends, underscoring his enduring hunger for silverware and his determination to pursue the right project rather than the loudest cheque.

The interview closed with a reminder that Fernandes continues to value Ronaldo’s and Jesus’s advice when big decisions loom, and that prioritizing family and personal well-being remains his compass for the unpredictable road ahead.

Punchline 1: If football contracts came with a warranty, Fernandes would still be negotiating an extension with the Fun Police for all the plot twists.

Punchline 2: The only thing richer than a Saudi offer is the drama around it—Fernandes just bought a bigger calculator to count the reasons to stay at United.