Bruno Fernandes confirms offer to LEAVE Man Utd after sit-down talks with club chiefs

After his heroics secured a Europa League quarterfinal matchup against French team Lyon on Thursday night, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has disclosed that he might have left the team last summer.

The Red Devils advanced 5-2 overall after defeating Real Sociedad 4-1 at Old Trafford in the second leg of their last-16 match thanks to a hat-trick from the 30-year-old offensive midfielder. However, Fernandes has disclosed that things could have gone rather differently for him during the summer.

In an interview with BBC Sport on Monday, Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe singled out Fernandes for praise before disclosing that he had a summer transfer offer on the table and the reasons he felt it was best to stay.

“I had an offer to leave, so I sat with the club,” he stated. We discussed whether I should stay at the club or leave.

“They expressed what they wanted me to say. I simply enquired as to whether they still considered me to be a part of the club’s future. At the time, I also had a conversation with Erik Ten Hag.

He and the club made it very apparent to me that they expected me to play a significant role in this reconstruction. I believed that we could succeed.

Although Fernandes doesn’t specify the source of the offer, it’s well known that the Saudi Pro League has been after the Portugal international for a while.

In fact, TT stated at the beginning of the summer window that Fernandes had been granted authorisation to consider relocating to the Middle East because both Al Ittihad and Al Nassr were interested in his services.

But the playmaker remained, and with 43 games across all competitions, including 15 goals and 13 assists, he has once again demonstrated his immense worth to the team. This season is not the first time that renowned former United captain Roy Keane has criticised Fernandes.

Speaking last month, Keane attacked the current Red Devils captain, claiming that he was not “a fighter” and that “talent is not enough.”

Fernandes, however, responded with his own thoughts on leadership: “Everyone agrees that Roy Keane was one of the club’s greatest captains.

“He was a fantastic player who won everything for the club, but I only got to witness him for the last few years. Everyone has a great deal of respect for him, and I do too.