Romano reveals ‘crucial decision’ in Bruno Fernandes future update after Man Utd receive ‘very big offers’ | OneFootball

Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes will only leave Old Trafford in the summer transfer window if the Red Devils don’t satisfy his ambitions, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, while TEAMtalk sources can outline the growing hopes the club have of retaining the Portuguese playmaker.

The Red Devils received offers for Fernandes in the summer from Saudi Arabia with Man Utd weighing up whether to take £100m for a 31-year-old and reinvest in their squad.

However, Fernandes decided to stay at Old Trafford and later revealed that he was “hurt” by Man Utd attempting to sell him over the summer.

And transfer expert Romano insists that the Red Devils should expect more interest from Saudi Pro League clubs again in the summer transfer window.

Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Over the last three years, since summer 2023, Bruno has had the opportunity every single summer to move to the Saudi Pro League if he wished.

“He received serious proposals, including very big offers last summer from Al-Hilal, who were prepared to put significant money on the table. Bruno decided to stay. He chose to continue at Man Utd.

“Now the feeling around Bruno is very positive. Man Utd are performing well and the situation looks completely different. In the summer, the club will continue to invest. If you ask me whether I expect Saudi clubs to return for Bruno, my answer is yes. The top Saudi clubs remain interested because he has always been a priority target. When they identify a player as a key objective, that interest does not disappear.”

Man Utd are now hopeful that Fernandes stays at the club, as revealed exclusively by TEAMtalk, but Romano has warned that the Portugal international could decide to leave if the club fails to match his ambitions in the summer.

Romano added: “Financially, reaching an agreement with Man Utd would not be a problem. The crucial decision would be on the player’s side.

“It is not about salary. If Bruno had wanted a higher wage, he already had the opportunity to earn significantly more than he does at Man Utd. He stayed because he wants to win at the club, because he wants to help the club and because, as captain, he feels he can do something important. So I expect Saudi interest again, but once more it will be Bruno who decides and Man Utd hope he stays.

“Over the weekend he broke records, becoming the third player in the club’s history after Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney to reach more than 100 goals and 100 assists in a Man Utd shirt. He is performing fantastically, but the final decision will be his.”

Man Utd planning talks with Fernandes

We revealed on Monday that Man Utd are planning to sit down with the Portuguese midfielder this summer to discuss his future with Fernandes showing few signs of wanting to depart.

A source told TEAMtalk: “Bruno is a key figure, that is no secret, but you can see he is central to what Michael Carrick has been doing. He is enjoying life under Carrick, he is embracing his role and the club are very happy with him.”

Fernandes has just under 18 months left on his current contract with Man Utd holding an option to extend his deal for another year and the Red Devils now seen as a pivotal figure in the club’s vision.

During the misery of the Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim years, Fernandes was often a bright spark for many Man Utd supporters.

And Fernandes revealed in December that Man Utd wanted him to leave over the summer and revealed the reasons he decided to snub interest from Saudi Arabia to stay.

Fernandes said: “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 €20m or €30m, so they pay me more on the other side.’ But I never did that. I never felt in a position to do that, because I felt that the empathy and affection I had for the club were the same.

“But there comes 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 this, but I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision.

“I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely like 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 lot. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player they have nothing to criticise about. 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.”

More Man Utd news: Benjamin Sesko could have signed for Chelsea

Elsewhere at Old Trafford, Fernandes has hailed Benjamin Sesko’s hunger to score goals after the Slovenian bagged his seventh goal in eight matches in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at the weekend.

It has also been revealed that Chelsea offered Sesko ‘anything he wanted’ to move to Stamford Bridge in 2022, three years before he chose to move to Man Utd.

Fernandes has been in the news a lot on Tuesday with claims he attempted to convince Portugal team-mate Joao Neves to join Man Utd before the 21-year-old opted to move to Paris Saint-Germain.