Bruno Fernandes explosive interview in full: Every word on Manchester United, Saudi Arabai interest and more

Man Utd captain left “hurt” and “sad” by the transfer saga

Bruno Fernandes has claimed Manchester United wanted him to leave over the summer, leaving him “hurt” and “sad.”

The United captain was of interest to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal at the end of last season, with the club reportedly willing to pay £100million for the 31-year-old and offer him wages worth £700,000 a week.

But, after talks with head coach Ruben Amorim and his family, Fernandes decided to stay. But, in an interview conducted in November and released in December, the player revealed he has been left "hurt" by the saga.

Read his comments to Canal 11 in full below...

“The club wanted me to go, I have that in my head. I told the directors that, but I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision, because the manager wanted me. If I had said I wanted to leave, they would have let me go.”

“From the club’s side, I felt a bit like, ‘if you leave, it’s not so bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player who has nothing to criticize. I’m always available, I always play, good or bad. I give my all. Then, you see things around you, players who don’t value the club as much and don’t defend the club as much… that makes you sad.

“Until you win trophies, you’re not valued as much, regardless of the club and league you’re in. I was valued, and what values me most has to be my club, although lately I feel like I’m on thin ice. In England, when a player starts approaching 30, they start thinking they need a makeover. It’s like the furniture.

“The issue of loyalty isn’t viewed the same way it used to be. I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money. I was going to leave a season ago, I would have won many trophies this season, but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club. The conversation with the manager also made me stay.”

“The person who spoke to me was the president of Al Hilal, who called me directly. Ruben Neves sent me a message saying he wanted to talk to me. They wanted me to play in the Club World Cup with Al Hilal. It was already a love that came from the Jorge Jesus era, he had already called me in 2023.

“I can’t complain, I’m very well paid. I don't see it as a matter of money. Financially, I can't complain, although the difference with Saudi Arabia is massive.

If I ever go to play in Saudi Arabia, I will, it won't be for the money, I'll go because the lifestyle will change, my children's lives will be sunny, after six years of cold and rain in Manchester, because I'll be playing in a league that's growing with renowned players.

“I could have left like many people do and said: ‘I want to leave, I don’t want to train, I just want to leave for 20 or 30 million, so they pay me more on the other side.’ But I never did that. I never felt in a position to do it, because I felt that the empathy and affection I had for the club were the same. But it gets to a point where, for them, money is more important than anything. “