Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has accused the club’s upper management of lacking the “courage” to sell him last summer, citing Ruben Amorim as the sole reason for his continuation at Old Trafford during a remarkable dismantling of his current employers and some of his teammates.
Fernandes has undisputedly been United’s best player since joining the club in February 2020. Amid the wildly fluctuating fortunes of the wider team, the dependable captain has continued to deliver his best on the pitch and was a popular choice for permanent captaincy in the summer of 2023.
Amorim is the latest United head coach to be completely enamoured by the talismanic playmaker. His transfer strategy is simple: “We need more Brunos.”
However, there was a very distinct possibility of United’s one and only Bruno leaving the club last summer. A pointed interview after the Europa League final cast doubt of Fernandes’s future as he made himself available for a sale. Rampant speculation surrounding a move to Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal dominated the subsequent months only for the 31-year-old to remain in red.
That was the desired outcome for the vast majority of United’s fanbase and their manager. Yet, in an interview with Canal 11 which has been relayed by Maisfutebol, Fernandes has now claimed that the club’s directors actively wanted him out.
Fernandes: The Club Wanted Me to Leave
Fernandes did not mince his words when it came to last summer’s transfer standoff. “I could have left as 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 that they pay me more on the other side.’ But I never did,” he revealed.
“I never felt in a position to do it, because I thought the empathy and affection that I had for the club were the same. But it comes 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 said that to the directors, but I think they did not have the courage to make this decision, because the coach wanted me. If I had said I wanted to leave, they would have let me go.”
United’s finances have been stretched by a failure to qualify for any European competition this season. Several aspects of Amorim’s squad still need to be dramatically addressed and there was talk of Al Hilal offering a £100 million ($134.2 million) transfer fee for the skipper, which would naturally have aided that rebuild.
Fernandes stayed and United were still able to invest £200 million into a new frontline, but the need for another midfielder and more defensive cover still persists.
‘I’m on Thin Ice’
Averaging a goal every 3 games in his time at the club and creating the most chances in the Premier League this season.
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 25, 2025
Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United's most important signing of the post Ferguson era. pic.twitter.com/Svf4kUC3Fl
Fernandes painted a very concerning picture of his standing among the club’s lofty hierarchy. Amorim’s support is cemented but those that sit above the manager’s dugout have failed to fill the 31-year-old with much faith.
“As long as you don’t win trophies, you’re not valued as much, regardless of the club and league you’re in,” Fernandes conceded. “I was valued, and what values me most has to be my club, although I feel, lately, that I’m on thin ice. In England, when a player starts to approach 30, they start to think they need to remodel. It’s like the furniture.”
“The question of loyalty is not seen as before,” he sighed.
This lack of trust has had a significant impact on the captain. “I decided [to stay], also because of the family issue, but for genuinely liking the club,” he explained. “The conversation with the coach also made me stay. But, from the club side, I felt a little bit ... ‘if you go, it’s not so bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I am a player who has nothing to prove. I’m always available, I play always, good or bad.”
Door Left Open to Saudi Switch
Interest from Saudi Arabia—and Al Hilal in particular—is nothing new. As Fernandes confirmed, the club’s former Portuguese manager was the first to open up a line of dialogue with his compatriot two years ago. A move out east is still very much on the cards.
“The president of Al Hilal spoke to me, he called me directly,” Fernandes revealed. “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 huge. That’s never been 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 recognised players.”
Secret Transfer Turned Down
There was a throwaway line during Fernandes’s nut-and-bolt dismantling which sparked more questions than answers. “There was a time I was going to leave—I will not say where—but I would win many trophies at that time,” the Portugal international cryptically claimed.
Quite when or where Fernandes was referring to is unclear, although the suggestion of several trophies and his reluctance to name the suitors suggests a European switch.
Teammates Called Into Question
It wasn’t only the club’s directors who found themselves on the sharp end of Fernandes’s words. Some unnamed players were also thrust into the spotlight.
“I do my best. Then you see things around you, players who don’t value the club so much and don’t defend the club so much ... that makes you sad,” he sniffed.
Fernandes, as captain, has more responsibility baked into his standing at the club but he’s right in stressing that he shouldn’t be the only player to put everything into each game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Didn’t Have the Courage’—Bruno Fernandes Unleashes Incredible Tirade Against Man Utd Bosses.