Saudi Arabia is willing to offer £65 million to sign Bruno Fernandes with a high salary! Fernandes might refuse again, revealing his hope to play in La Liga.

Bruno Fernandes shared his frustration with Portuguese media over Manchester United’s desire for him to depart, making his future a hot topic again. The scenario is straightforward: Manchester United hopes Fernandes initiates the transfer request instead of the club selling him, to evade certain liabilities. According to the Daily Mail, the Saudi Professional League still shows strong interest in the 31-year-old Portuguese stalwart, though the transfer fee and contract conditions have been considerably lowered.

This summer, Al Hilal offered Fernandes a three-year contract with a base weekly wage of £700,000. Including signing bonuses and incentives, the annual salary could reach as high as £65 million. The Saudi owners are also prepared to pay Manchester United a £100 million transfer fee.

According to the Daily Mail, the club now most interested in Fernandes is Al-Ittihad Jeddah. They approached him in the summer but were turned down, yet have continued to monitor him closely. Currently, Al-Ittihad is ready to present another lucrative contract, provided Fernandes is willing to move to the Saudi Professional League.

Al-Ittihad Jeddah is also one of the four major clubs backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. During the summer transfer window, they had phone calls and meetings with Fernandes’s agent. Karim Benzema’s brother, a former Real Madrid star, plays a key role in Al-Ittihad’s attempt to sign Fernandes.

The report adds that sources familiar with the negotiations reveal that the Saudis are increasingly confident they can acquire Fernandes next year for £65-70 million instead of £100 million. Al-Ittihad is prepared to offer Fernandes a tax-free salary of £26-27 million annually, which equates to a net weekly wage of £520,000!

However, when complaining to Portuguese media outlet "Canal 11" about Manchester United wanting him out, Fernandes also revealed that he would stay if the club needs him. But if he must leave the Premier League, he hopes to play in Spain or Italy, where clubs are less likely to pay high transfer fees. Fernandes explained, "I want to experience La Liga and also aim to win titles in Serie A. I have strong ties to Italy; my daughter was even born there."

Fernandes began his professional career in Italy, having played for Novara, Udinese, and Sampdoria before returning to his homeland to join Sporting CP. In January 2020, he left Lisbon to join Manchester United, with a transfer fee potentially reaching £68 million.

His former club Sporting CP might be the team he joins before retiring. Fernandes added, "I’ve considered returning to Portugal, but going back to a place that once made you happy might actually damage the image you left behind. Out of love and respect, if I return to play in my home country, Sporting CP would be my first choice. I want to share happiness with Sporting again, but it could also harm my past reputation."

Fernandes’s national teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and his Manchester United story clearly fall into this category. Ronaldo’s second stint at the Red Devils ended in drama. Fernandes stated, "Even for family reasons, I want to return to Portugal. But I don’t want to force myself; I want to enrich my life. In the future, I might even try playing in regional leagues just for the love of the game — it’s a very different feeling. I have friends in the regional leagues too."

Interestingly, Fernandes revealed he consulted Ronaldo about his transfer situation. He said, "Cristiano gave me some advice, but the final decision was always mine. I chose to stay because I genuinely love Manchester United. Unfortunately, loyalty isn’t as respected as it used to be. People’s views on loyalty have changed compared to before."

Fernandes said he could leave Manchester United to earn more money and win more trophies than he does at United. "I could have left in the last transfer window and earned more money. A season ago, if I had left, I won’t say where, but I could have won many trophies that season (Real Madrid won La Liga, Spanish Super Cup, and Champions League). I decided to stay partly for family reasons, but more importantly, because I truly love this club. But I’ve always been upset that Manchester United wants me gone."