Fuming Man Utd chiefs fire bombshell Bruno Fernandes claims straight back at club skipper as source reveals Old Trafford ‘shock’ | OneFootball

TEAMtalk understands that Manchester United’s owners and hierarchy have been left shocked and annoyed by Bruno Fernandes’ recent comments, in which the Red Devils skipper claims he felt he was being forced to move to Saudi Arabia.

Fernandes spoke with Portuguese channel Canal 11 last month, but the interview has only now been printed, as the Portugal international stated that the club let him down over a forced move to Al-Hilal, who made a bid to sign him last summer.

Fernandes rejected the chance to leave Old Trafford but said he was hurt and saddened by the situation. But sources have now confirmed to TEAMtalk that Man Utd have been left ‘shocked’ and ‘disappointed’ by Fernandes’ stance.

A source close to the club has confirmed that United insist that they did not invite the offers from Saudi Arabia, indeed they claim they were led by Fernandes’ own entourage.

United said all summer they did not want him to go and were always insistent of that fact. Now Fernandes has accused the club of trying to sell, which has not gone down well.

The source told us: “This has not gone down very well at all. The owners, the footballing top brass do not know where this has come from. They really have pushed back at this sort of thing in recent months and are far from happy with how this has come about.”

Whilst the club feel ‘let down’ by these comments they will look to move on from the incident, remain insistent that Fernandes is very much their captain, and they are not looking to sell him anytime soon.

Bruno Fernandes interview in full

Fernandes told Canal 11, as relayed by Portuguese football outlet MaisFutebol: “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 the last transfer window; I would have earned much more money.

“I was going to leave a season ago – I won’t say where – but I would have won many trophies that season. I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely love the club. The conversation with the manager also made me stay.

“But, 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 criticise.

“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.

“The person who spoke to me was the president of Al Hilal, who called me directly. Rúben 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, but obviously the difference is abysmal. That was never what guided me. If one day I have to play in Saudi Arabia, I’ll play in Saudi Arabia.

“My lifestyle will change, my children’s lives will be sunny, after six years in Manchester with cold and rain, I’ll be playing in a growing league, 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.

“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.”