Captain turns down Saudi riches to stay with Man Utd
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has turned down a proposed move to Saudi club Al Hilal because he wants "to play at the highest possible level".
Fernandes confirmed on Tuesday he had received an "exciting offer" from the Riyadh-based club to switch after what was a disappointing season for United.
"They waited for me to think about my future, because I said only if Manchester thought it was the time to move on that I'd be willing to do so," Fernandes said through an interpreter.
"I talked to the gaffer, Ruben Amorim, and at the time he asked me not to go. I then talked to Man United. They said they didn't want to sell me. If I wanted to go, I could, but they didn't need the money, they didn't need to sell me."
Media reports suggested Al Hilal was prepared to pay 100 million pounds ($A209 million) to take the 30-year-old Fernandes from United, while offering him a wage of 700,000 pounds ($A1.46 million) a week to play for the Saudi Pro League team, which will compete in the Club World Cup this month in the United States.
"It was a very exciting offer," Fernandes said. "The president of Al Hilal, he was very nice to me. He talked to my manager, but then I talked to my wife and as a family we wanted to see what I wanted to do. She asked me, what do you want to do with your future?"
Fernandes last year signed a contract extension to stay at Old Trafford until June 2027.
This season did not go as planned as the Red Devils failed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing 15th in the Premier League. United also endured the heartbreak of losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.
"We had goals and we didn't meet them," said Fernandes, a key figure for United since his arrival in January 2020.
He said it would have been easy for the family to make the move to Riyadh, and for him to adjust to the team with Portugal teammates Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo already playing for Al Hilal.
"I'm used to them, but I want to play at the highest possible level," Fernandes said. "I want play for major competitions. I know I still can, and I want to be happy doing the thing I love the most."
Fernandes was speaking as a Portugal player before the team's Nations League semi-final against Germany on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in Munich. The winner of that game will face either France or Spain in Sunday's final.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has turned down a proposed move to Saudi club Al Hilal because he wants "to play at the highest possible level".
Fernandes confirmed on Tuesday he had received an "exciting offer" from the Riyadh-based club to switch after what was a disappointing season for United.
"They waited for me to think about my future, because I said only if Manchester thought it was the time to move on that I'd be willing to do so," Fernandes said through an interpreter.
"I talked to the gaffer, Ruben Amorim, and at the time he asked me not to go. I then talked to Man United. They said they didn't want to sell me. If I wanted to go, I could, but they didn't need the money, they didn't need to sell me."
Media reports suggested Al Hilal was prepared to pay 100 million pounds ($A209 million) to take the 30-year-old Fernandes from United, while offering him a wage of 700,000 pounds ($A1.46 million) a week to play for the Saudi Pro League team, which will compete in the Club World Cup this month in the United States.
"It was a very exciting offer," Fernandes said. "The president of Al Hilal, he was very nice to me. He talked to my manager, but then I talked to my wife and as a family we wanted to see what I wanted to do. She asked me, what do you want to do with your future?"
Fernandes last year signed a contract extension to stay at Old Trafford until June 2027.
This season did not go as planned as the Red Devils failed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing 15th in the Premier League. United also endured the heartbreak of losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.
"We had goals and we didn't meet them," said Fernandes, a key figure for United since his arrival in January 2020.
He said it would have been easy for the family to make the move to Riyadh, and for him to adjust to the team with Portugal teammates Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo already playing for Al Hilal.
"I'm used to them, but I want to play at the highest possible level," Fernandes said. "I want play for major competitions. I know I still can, and I want to be happy doing the thing I love the most."
Fernandes was speaking as a Portugal player before the team's Nations League semi-final against Germany on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in Munich. The winner of that game will face either France or Spain in Sunday's final.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has turned down a proposed move to Saudi club Al Hilal because he wants "to play at the highest possible level".
Fernandes confirmed on Tuesday he had received an "exciting offer" from the Riyadh-based club to switch after what was a disappointing season for United.
"They waited for me to think about my future, because I said only if Manchester thought it was the time to move on that I'd be willing to do so," Fernandes said through an interpreter.
"I talked to the gaffer, Ruben Amorim, and at the time he asked me not to go. I then talked to Man United. They said they didn't want to sell me. If I wanted to go, I could, but they didn't need the money, they didn't need to sell me."
Media reports suggested Al Hilal was prepared to pay 100 million pounds ($A209 million) to take the 30-year-old Fernandes from United, while offering him a wage of 700,000 pounds ($A1.46 million) a week to play for the Saudi Pro League team, which will compete in the Club World Cup this month in the United States.
"It was a very exciting offer," Fernandes said. "The president of Al Hilal, he was very nice to me. He talked to my manager, but then I talked to my wife and as a family we wanted to see what I wanted to do. She asked me, what do you want to do with your future?"
Fernandes last year signed a contract extension to stay at Old Trafford until June 2027.
This season did not go as planned as the Red Devils failed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing 15th in the Premier League. United also endured the heartbreak of losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.
"We had goals and we didn't meet them," said Fernandes, a key figure for United since his arrival in January 2020.
He said it would have been easy for the family to make the move to Riyadh, and for him to adjust to the team with Portugal teammates Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo already playing for Al Hilal.
"I'm used to them, but I want to play at the highest possible level," Fernandes said. "I want play for major competitions. I know I still can, and I want to be happy doing the thing I love the most."
Fernandes was speaking as a Portugal player before the team's Nations League semi-final against Germany on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in Munich. The winner of that game will face either France or Spain in Sunday's final.
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"The Proclamation does not deem the entry of an alien or class of aliens to be detrimental to the interests of the United States, because non-citizens who are impacted by the Proclamation can enter the United States — just so long as they go somewhere other than Harvard," the school said. The Trump administration has launched a multi-front attack on the nation's oldest and wealthiest university, freezing billions of dollars in grants and other funding and proposing to end its tax-exempt status, prompting a series of legal challenges. Harvard argues the administration is retaliating against it for refusing to accede to demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from barring US entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University. 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Aziz Behich's wonderful 90th-minute goal against Japan delivered a 1-0 victory in Perth and almost certainly confirmed direct qualification for next year's tournament in North America. Socceroos players watched together from their hotel as the Saudis beat Bahrain 2-0 overnight, when a draw or loss would have sealed Australia's berth. Tony Popovic's Australia (16 points, plus eight goal difference) are still well and truly in the box seat to finish second behind Japan ahead of Saudi Arabia (13 points, zero goal difference). A win, draw or defeat by less than five goals in Jeddah on Wednesday morning (AEST) will confirm Australia's sixth consecutive World Cup finals appearance. Striker Brandon Borrello said of the Bahrain-Saudi result: "Frustrating. I'll leave it at that. It was probably just frustrating. "We have to approach the game regardless of Bahrain winning or losing. "The boss speaks to his elite standards that we have. It's just got to be the same ... so no-one drops the standards. "Obviously it's frustrating in that sense, but today's a new day, and we've just got to approach it the way we would (normally)." The Socceroos and Saudi Arabia, led by Herve Renard, drew 0-0 last time out in Melbourne. "We have to go to Saudi and get a result. They have to win by five ... we're going there to win regardless," Borrello said. "It's obviously going to be a very heated game but we're up for the challenge." Popovic's charges are now focused on recovery. When asked if sealing qualification in Saudi would be more satisfying than having it confirmed at 3am in their hotel rooms, Borrello said: "I don't think it matters how you qualify, as long as you do qualify." While there were scenes of elation and tears of happiness for the Socceroos on Thursday night, Borrello, who described the win as a reflection of "true-blue Australian grit", was measured on Friday. "I'm being honest - without sounding arrogant, our intention was to go and beat Japan regardless. And that was the way we spoke," Borrello said. "That was the language we used around it: we're going to win. "Obviously, last night, we created a bit of history. It's been a while since we beat Japan, and we knew it was going to happen. "And the boss said pretty much, if we believe in ourselves half as much as what he believes in us, that we're going to win. So that's what we did." The Socceroos will move on from the "frustrating" wait to have their tickets to the World Cup finals officially stamped and set their sights on sealing the deal in Saudi Arabia. Aziz Behich's wonderful 90th-minute goal against Japan delivered a 1-0 victory in Perth and almost certainly confirmed direct qualification for next year's tournament in North America. Socceroos players watched together from their hotel as the Saudis beat Bahrain 2-0 overnight, when a draw or loss would have sealed Australia's berth. Tony Popovic's Australia (16 points, plus eight goal difference) are still well and truly in the box seat to finish second behind Japan ahead of Saudi Arabia (13 points, zero goal difference). A win, draw or defeat by less than five goals in Jeddah on Wednesday morning (AEST) will confirm Australia's sixth consecutive World Cup finals appearance. Striker Brandon Borrello said of the Bahrain-Saudi result: "Frustrating. I'll leave it at that. It was probably just frustrating. "We have to approach the game regardless of Bahrain winning or losing. "The boss speaks to his elite standards that we have. It's just got to be the same ... so no-one drops the standards. "Obviously it's frustrating in that sense, but today's a new day, and we've just got to approach it the way we would (normally)." The Socceroos and Saudi Arabia, led by Herve Renard, drew 0-0 last time out in Melbourne. "We have to go to Saudi and get a result. They have to win by five ... we're going there to win regardless," Borrello said. "It's obviously going to be a very heated game but we're up for the challenge." Popovic's charges are now focused on recovery. When asked if sealing qualification in Saudi would be more satisfying than having it confirmed at 3am in their hotel rooms, Borrello said: "I don't think it matters how you qualify, as long as you do qualify." While there were scenes of elation and tears of happiness for the Socceroos on Thursday night, Borrello, who described the win as a reflection of "true-blue Australian grit", was measured on Friday. "I'm being honest - without sounding arrogant, our intention was to go and beat Japan regardless. And that was the way we spoke," Borrello said. "That was the language we used around it: we're going to win. "Obviously, last night, we created a bit of history. It's been a while since we beat Japan, and we knew it was going to happen. "And the boss said pretty much, if we believe in ourselves half as much as what he believes in us, that we're going to win. So that's what we did."
