Jorge Jesus confirmed that he twice tried to bring Bruno Fernandes to Saudi Arabia only to be met with the Manchester United captain’s steely determination to stay at Old Trafford.
Jesus took over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in July. Before he lured João Félix away from Chelsea, the Portuguese boss had been linked with a blockbuster attempt to sign his talented compatriot at United. Reports quickly revealed that Fernandes never even entertained discussions with Al Nassr this summer.
The United skipper had been linked with a move to Jesus’s Al Hilal side last year at a time of rampant uncertainty surrounding Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford. Ultimately, Fernandes signed a new long-term contract and Jesus revealed that his decision to stay this summer was informed by the input of Ten Hag’s managerial successor Ruben Amorim.
“I wanted to, but Bruno is determined to stay,” Jesus sighed to assembled Portuguese media after Al Nassr’s friendly against Rio Ave this week.
“We already talked last year. This year, I knew he had made the decision to continue with Amorim. He’s in a league they say is the best in the world, but I don’t agree. For me, it’s the Spanish league.”
Earlier this summer there were once again more concrete links to Al Hilal shortly after Jesus left the club. In the bitter wake of United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Fernandes lamented: “If the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it’s what it is.”
A transfer fee in excess of £100 million ($134.5 million) was reportedly on the table while Fernandes stood to treble his wages over a three-year contract. But once again, his loyalty to United shone through.
“It would have been easy to move there [Al Hilal],” Fernandes later explained. “I know the Portuguese players there very well. But I want to play at the highest level and compete for major titles. I can do that, and I still want to. I spoke to coach Amorim. He asked me not to go. Manchester United didn’t want to sell me.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Determined’—Bruno Fernandes Suitor Opens Up on Two Failed Transfer Offers.