MANCHESTER United captain Bruno Fernandes says it “hurt” to realise the club “wanted me to leave” when Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal proposed a huge offer in the summer.
The Portugal international, 31, rejected the move to the Saudi Pro League in order to stay at Old Trafford, despite Al-Hilal reportedly being open to paying a fee of about £100m and wages of up to £700,000 a week.
Fernandes has a contract that runs to 2027, with the option of an additional year.
He said in October, before his 300th United appearance, that he will not discuss his future with anyone until after next year’s World Cup.
Looking back on the Al-Hilal interest in a new interview recorded a few weeks ago, he said of United’s stance: “From the club I felt it was, ‘If you go it’s not so bad for us’. It hurts me a bit.”
Fernandes made the claims to Canal 11, a channel owned by the Portuguese Football Federation.
“More than hurting me, it makes me sad,” Fernandes said. “I’m a player that no-one can criticise, I’m always available, I always give my best.
“I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money.
“I would have won many trophies this season, but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club.”
Fernandes joined United in January 2020 for £47m from Portuguese side Sporting and has made 307 appearances for the club, scoring 103 goals and providing 93 assists.
This season, he has five goals and seven assists in the Premier League, including a brilliant free-kick strike and an assist in Monday’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
In June, Fernandes said one of the reasons he did not join Al-Hilal was because he wanted to continue to “play at the highest level”, and it was United boss Ruben Amorim who urged him to stay at Old Trafford.
However, Fernandes told Canal 11: “The club wanted me to leave. I told the directors that, I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision because the manager wanted me.
“But if I said I wanted to leave, even with the manager wanting me to stay, the club would let me.”
Sources told BBC Sport that the interview was done several weeks ago, Manchester United have no desire to sell Fernandes or for him to leave and he continues to be central to the club’s long-term planning.