Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United are reportedly in contract talks after Galatasaray reportedly made a bid of £17 million in annual wages for the Portuguese captain. United categorically deny that they want to sell – and Fernandes himself wants to stay. … But £17 million is a very, very large amount of money.
The club insists Fernandes is not available at any price. With one year left on his contract – and an option for another year – United have a strong negotiating card. A £56 million buyout clause for foreign clubs expired earlier this summer, giving United some control.
Read: Todd Boehly in talks to sell out of Chelsea
According to The Athletic, United claim that no clubs have contacted them about the captain. But Galatasaray have reportedly tried, and it is unlikely to be the last time Fernandes will be linked with an exit.
“I could have left – but chose to stay”
Fernandes has previously turned down Al-Hilal, and he has been open about why.
“I could have left like a lot of other people do and said, ‘I want to go, I don’t want to train, I just want to go for 20 or 30 million euros – so they pay me more on the other side.’ But I never did,” he said last year.
“I felt that the empathy and love I had for the club was just as great. But there comes a point where for them, money is more important than anything else. The club wanted me to leave – I have that in my head.
“I told the management, but they didn’t have the courage to make that decision. I chose to stay – also for family reasons – but first and foremost because I genuinely like the club. The conversation with the manager also made me stay. But from the club’s side, I felt a little: ‘If you leave, it’s not so bad for us.’
“It hurts. More than painful – it makes me sad. I’m a player they have nothing to criticize. I’m always available and always play – good or bad – I give it my all. Then you see things around you, players who don’t value the club as much and don’t defend the club as much… It makes you sad.
“We can make history”
Earlier this summer, Fernandes stated that United fans can expect the team to fight back to the top:
“Playing for Manchester United is always special for everyone. At the same time, it brings with it a great responsibility.
“But I don’t think anyone comes to Manchester United thinking that we don’t have the responsibility to win again – to be at the top of the Premier League and European football. The club’s history brings that responsibility. Regardless of the last few years, which have not been at the level the club is used to.
“I think everyone always thinks that we can be the ones who turn the page, the ones who make it possible for United to fight on all fronts. It has to be special for us players to realise that we can be the protagonists in changing history – for United to win again.
The road ahead for Fernandes
With contract negotiations underway and Fernandes’ clear loyalty to the club, it seems unlikely that the captain will disappear this summer. The question is rather whether United will be able to build a team around him that can fulfil his ambitions – and his desire to make history at Old Trafford.
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