Captain opens up on feeling undervalued by club hierarchy and criticizes teammates who “don’t defend the club as much.”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has delivered a candid and emotional critique of the club’s hierarchy, revealing that he felt hurt by their willingness to sell him and expressing frustration with teammates he believes do not share his passion for the club.
In a revealing interview, the 31-year-old midfielder confirmed he had the opportunity to leave Old Trafford for significantly more money—including a reported £700,000-a-week offer from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal—but chose to stay out of loyalty.
“Nowadays, the issue of loyalty is no longer seen the way it used to be,” Fernandes told Canal 11. “I could have left in the last transfer window and would have earned a lot more money… But from the club’s side, I felt a bit of: ‘If you go, it’s not really that bad for us.’ That hurts me a little.”
Fernandes, who signed a new contract in 2024, suggested the club’s directors lacked the “courage” to push for his sale only because manager Erik ten Hag wanted him to stay. “I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision… If I had said I wanted to leave, even with the manager wanting me to stay, they would have let me go.”
The Portuguese star also directed criticism inward, toward the United dressing room. “Then you look around you and see players who don’t value the club as much as you do and who don’t defend the club as much. That makes you sad,” he said, without naming individuals.
Despite his clear disappointment, Fernandes did not close the door on a future move, specifically mentioning the possibility of playing in Saudi Arabia for lifestyle reasons. “My children’s lives will have sun, after six years in Manchester with cold and rain,” he noted.
Club sources maintain that United have always viewed Fernandes as a fundamental part of their long-term plans and have no desire to sell him. The interview, however, lays bare a perceived rift between the captain’s deep personal commitment and his sense of how the club’s decision-makers truly value him—a tension that will now become a major subplot as United navigate a pivotal summer.
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