Bruno Fernandes admits talks with Cristiano Ronaldo about a potential Manchester United exit for Saudi Arabia
For years, Bruno Fernandes has been one of Manchester United’s biggest stars and one of the Premier League’s standout performers. However, like many other elite players, he has received offers from clubs in the Saudi Pro League. Now, he has confirmed that he discussed the possibility with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I had conversations with Al Hilal, everyone is aware of that,” Fernandes admitted this week during a press conference shared by Sky Sports. “From Europe I had some people talking to me but we never got into the place where we would have offers on the table or not.”
The 31-year-old midfielder went on to explain the steps he took when considering the offer from Saudi Arabia. “I spoke with Cristiano about the situation, Saudi and everything,” revealed Bruno, who has been Ronaldo’s teammate on the Portugal national team since 2017 and played alongside him at Manchester United for a season and a half.
“Cristiano told me his opinion on what I should do. It was important for me obviously, with all the experience he has and everything, it was important for me to hear what he thought,” added Fernandes, who ultimately decided to reject the proposal and remain in England.
Why Bruno Fernandes stayed at Manchester United
Reports indicate that those talks with Al Hilal included an eye-catching salary offer worth around £700,000 per week — roughly $45 million per year. That would have been nearly triple what Bruno Fernandes currently earns at Manchester United.
But the massive sums on the table weren’t enough to sway the Portuguese midfielder, who explained why he chose to stay in the Premier League. “I wasn’t eager to move to Saudi because I wanted to stay at the club,” he revealed.
“As I’ve always said, I feel good here, I want to achieve my dreams still,” Fernandes added. “Every season I come back, I always have the belief that we can achieve something. Everyone knows my aim is to win the Premier League and the Champions League.”
What’s next for Fernandes?
Turning down Al Hilal last summer doesn’t mean Fernandes has ruled out leaving Manchester United in the future. He admitted he could consider other options later on — but under one important condition. “My agent knows how I work, so if he wants to talk to me it will be after the World Cup because until then, I won’t speak to anyone.”
Finally, when asked about reports suggesting his departure from Manchester United is already set for the end of the 2025–26 season, Bruno was clear: “I’ve seen a lot of news, I’ve seen people talking that I had an agreement to go already next season. If the club has done that agreement, it wasn’t made with me.”