Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal have reportedly identified Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes as their ‘top target’ and have offered him a ‘three-year contract’.
Fernandes signed a new deal at Man United last August and has been, by some distance, their best player this season.
There was a bit of a transition period under Ruben Amorim after he replaced Erik ten Hag in November, but since the turn of the year, the 30-year-old has been absolutely superb – even if the Red Devils sit 15th in the Premier League table.
He remains United’s most influential player and has worn the captain’s armband since July 2023.
Amorim’s side would obviously prefer to keep their star man and skipper, but they could be tempted to sell for the right price – while Fernandes himself may be swayed by a lucrative offer, especially given his age and the uncertainty at Old Trafford.
It’s unclear how eager Amorim’s side would be to part with the Portuguese international, who fits the profile of players being aggressively targeted by Saudi clubs.
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Saudi Pro League teams have focused on signing high-profile, peak-age players to raise the league’s profile – and Fernandes would be among their most ambitious moves yet.
According to transfer expert Ben Jacobs, writing for GiveMeSport, the United captain has a three-year contract offer on the table from Al Hilal, who have already snapped up Neymar, Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic since the 2023 summer window.
The report claims Al Hilal are ‘ready to make a record-breaking offer’ to sign Fernandes, who is said to be their ‘top target’.
The Saudi giants had previously set aside funds to move for Mohamed Salah, but after the Egyptian signed a new Liverpool deal, their focus has shifted to the Manchester United captain.
They reportedly have a staggering £510million to spend on a marquee signing, with £170million per season earmarked for wages alone.
A move for Fernandes could contribute to ‘a record amount this summer in the history of football’, as Al Hilal look to add a genuine ‘superstar’ ahead of the expanded Club World Cup. They’re said to be ‘prepared to offer a British record fee’ for the 30-year-old.
However, there are conflicting claims around a potential £60m release clause in Fernandes’ contract. While some reports suggest such a clause exists, United have been quick to ‘downplay this’, insisting no official release clause is in place.
That said, Al Hilal reportedly ‘understand there to be a threshold’ – an informal price point – ‘above which United would be willing to negotiate, particularly if the player expresses a desire to leave Old Trafford’.
The report also states that Fernandes’ representatives have been in ‘contact since the summer of 2024’ with Al Hilal over a potential move to the Middle East.
A ‘non-binding offer’ has already been tabled, with a three-year contract on the cards. So far, Fernandes ‘is yet to respond’.
Should he accept, he could reportedly earn up to £65m per season, but it’s believed the Portuguese playmaker ‘wants to remain in Europe until at least after the 2026 World Cup’.
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