Bruno Fernandes was linked with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Al-Nassr during the summer transfer window, but opted to commit his future to Manchester United by signing a contract extension.
Bruno Fernandes confesses that conditions at Manchester United are ‘not favorable’ – and reveals how he might have left this summer.
Fernandes, 30, turned down offers from around Europe and Saudi Arabia in lieu of signing a lucrative new contract with United that would keep him at the club until 2027. Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Al-Nassr were all linked with a transfer, but in August, the Red Devils captain decided to devote his future to United.
Fernandes signed his new three-year contract with the belief that under co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the club will soon return to its previous glory. However, 11 games into the current season, United have only won three, putting manager Erik ten Hag under great strain and Ratcliffe’s administration under fire.
But Fernandes might have avoided the problem by quitting. “I was approached [by other clubs], the club was aware that there was a possibility of me leaving, I had concrete offers,” reported him to ESPN. “But the club showed that it needed me, that it was at a time of change and that they wanted to do things differently.”
Fernandes, who hasn’t scored for the Red Devils this season, then said that he prefers playing for Portugal above his club. “It’s not a positive moment,” he added of United.
“We are not winning games, and the national team environment is very different. I have felt quite at ease. The dynamics are quite nice. I’m in my country, speaking my language, and eating better cuisine.
“I have performed well for the national squad. It’s a place where I feel comfortable and like I can play football at a high level because of the dynamics we have and the talent I have on my team.”
The 30-year-old is eager to turn things around at Old Trafford, where Portugal will face Poland in Warsaw on Saturday and Scotland in Glasgow next Tuesday. “It’s about improving as soon as I get there [Manchester],” he told me. “Making the goals emerge again because I’m a midfielder who scores frequently and has consistently demonstrated a high level of goal scoring throughout the years.
“I have to meet their expectations and maintain my standards. What I’ve been doing is not ideal for this season because I have yet to score at the club. I hope that once there, I can score and assist my team go back to winning ways at a high level.”
