Bruno Fernandes given new strict deadline to decide on £200m Man Utd exit
Manchester United's best player has keen interest from Saudi club Al Hilal but he must make a decision this week amid chance to almost quadruple his wages
Bruno Fernandes has been given 72 hours to decide whether to accept a bumper offer from Al Hilal. The Saudi Pro League are determined to add a marquee name before next month's Club World Cup begins and they have made Manchester United's best player their top target.
But, according to the Daily Mail, Portugal star Fernandes must decide soon with the Old Trafford club willing to consider offers for their entire squad following a dismal campaign that saw them lose the Europa League final and finish in the bottom quarter of the Premier League.
Fernandes is reluctant to leave United but said after last Wednesday's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao that he would depart if required. United are desperate to raise money from sales to fund a revamp of Ruben Amorim's squad.
Riyadh-based Al Hilal are willing to pay Fernandes £700,000 tax-free per week as part of a three-year deal that, all in, will be worth about £200m including performance related add-ons. And they will offer United a fee of about £100m if the attacking midfielder, who currently earns about £280,000 per week before tax, says yes to the proposal.
Fernandes, who joined United in January 2020, is with United on their divisive post-season tour of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.
And speaking early on Wednesday morning head coach Amorim said: 'He's really important for us and really important for what we want to build with this team.
"The last game the team was without pressure, they performed quite well, everybody wants the ball, the team has different moments and in different moments Bruno [Fernandes] takes responsibility.'
Asked about his future last week, Fernandes said: 'If the club thinks it's time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it is what it is. And football sometimes is like this.
'I have always been honest. I've always said I will be here until the club says to me that it's time to go. I'm eager to do more, to be able to bring the club to the great days.
'In the day that the club thinks that I'm too much or it's time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it. But I've always said it and I keep my word in the same way.'
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