Bruno Fernandes responds to £133m transfer offer to leave Manchester United | Football

Bruno Fernandes has rejected an offer worth £133m to leave Manchester United, according to reports.

Fernandes, who has been United’s most important player for the best part of a decade, came close to leaving Old Trafford last summer.

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal offered Fernandes a lucrative contract and approached Manchester United with a proposal worth almost £100m.

United did not instantly reject the proposal despite Fernandes’ influence on the team but the 31-year-old turned down the offer in favour of staying put.

Fernandes proceeded to enjoy one of his best-ever seasons, breaking the Premier League assist record and being named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

There has once again been speculation over Fernandes’ future this summer as the Portuguese playmaker has entered the final year of his contract, although Manchester United have the option to extend for a further 12 months.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Fernandes has received another huge offer from Saudi Arabia worth an eye-watering £640,000-a-week and £133m over a period of four years.

But the report says Fernandes once again rejected the approach from Saudi Pro League officials, which arrived during the World Cup, as his focus is on Manchester United.

Galatasaray, Juventus and AC Milan all expressed interest in signing Fernandes earlier in the summer but United indicated they were ‘wasting their time’.

BBC Sport said Manchester United informed interested parties that Fernandes would not be sold ‘at any price’.

The Red Devils have largely struggled during Fernandes’ spell at the club but United climbed to third in the Premier League last season once Michael Carrick took over.

There was some hope United could even challenge Arsenal for the Premier League title in Carrick’s first full season in charge but a shock opening-day defeat to Hull City has tempered expectations.

Reflecting on his time at Old Trafford so far and ambitions for the future, Fernandes told ESPN back in June: ‘Obviously, I wanted to have won more, it wasn’t quite what I had expected for myself and for the club.

‘But I had very good times. We managed to reach some finals, some of them we won, others we didn’t.

‘But my goal has always been to win the biggest competitions and the Premier League is part of it. And I still have that dream in me and I hope to achieve it.’

Asked about Carrick’s impact since replacing his compatriot Ruben Amorim, Fernandes added: ‘I think he brought a very positive energy to the team, he tried to be very positive, because obviously we were in a moment of coaching transition, which is always a difficult time for the team.

‘He tried to be positive, obviously he brought new ideas and a different way of playing, which was also important for some players to find an escape to be protagonists again.

‘And it’s been good, obviously, because the results demonstrate that too. We hope that we will continue to do so.’

After losing to Hull on the opening week, Manchester United will be desperate to return to winning ways on Sunday against fellow newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

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