Transfer Centre

Saudi Arabian clubs prepared to pay £87.3m for Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes?

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 13 November 2023

Saudi clubs prepared to pay £87.3m for Bruno Fernandes?

Clubs from the Saudi Arabian Pro League are reportedly prepared to €100m (£87.3m) to sign Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Clubs from Saudi Arabia are reportedly prepared to pay €100m (£87.3m) to sign Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Since arriving at Old Trafford in January 2020, Fernandes has emerged as arguably United's most important player, as well as being handed the club captaincy.

The Portugal international has contributed 68 goals and 57 assists from his 201 appearances in all competitions, winning an EFL Cup during his stay.

Fernandes is tied to United in the long term, possessing a contract until 2026 and the Red Devils having the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.

There has also never been any suggestion that the 29-year-old is interested in a switch away from United at a time when they have remained inconsistent under Erik ten Hag.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring against Fulham on November 4, 2023 © Reuters

However, according to Fichajes, United may soon be presented with the opportunity to cash in on their star man, either in January or next summer.

The report suggests that clubs from the Saudi Pro League - realistically one of the four teams owned by the Public Investment Fund - are willing to pay £87.3m for his signature.

Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli would be in contention for Fernandes should such an offer become a realistic possibility.

In terms of attendances, the league has been attracting lower numbers, on average, than it did in 2022-23, despite the influx of high-profile names that arrived in the summer.

Al Nassr's Aymeric Laporte celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates on November 4, 2023 © Reuters

Nevertheless, another surge of signings is expected in 2024 with Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah among those to have been linked with a move to the Middle East.

From United's perspective, they are unlikely to be interested in selling a key figure in their squad, particularly when they are currently under-performing on a regular basis.

That said, as the report alludes to, generating that level of money from the sale of one player would significantly boost their efforts of strengthening several areas of their squad.

United have also had well-documented issues with FFP, it recently being claimed that they would have to target 'cheap deals' if they are to do business in January.