Gary Neville has hailed Bruno Fernandes’ resolution to show down a profitable transfer to Al-Hilal and believes it “says so much about him as an individual, as a personality”.
The Manchester United captain has reportedly rejected the Saudi Arabian Professional League membership regardless of being provided a deal price £200million over three years.
He may have quadrupled his weekly wage with a change to the Center East however it’s now believed the Portugal midfielder will stay at Previous Trafford.
Neville believes that could be a optimistic end result for a United facet that limped to a Fifteenth-placed end final season.
Fernandes is so vital – Neville
He instructed Sky Sports activities Information: “It’s important.
“I feel that there was a component of this example that meant United getting that stage of cash, for somebody of Bruno’s age, clearly, you couldn’t say that it might have been a foul deal.
“However, alternatively, Manchester United’s star participant – solely participant at occasions – for the final 4, 5, six years, has been Bruno Fernandes. He’s so vital.
“The truth that he needs to remain, the truth that he needs to undergo this and are available out the opposite facet, as a result of it might have been straightforward for him on the finish of this season to say, ‘Look, I’m finished right here’, will endear him in direction of Manchester United followers much more.
“To show that cash down at some extent the place Manchester United are at their lowest ebb and say, ‘No, I need to struggle via this, I need to see it via the opposite facet, I need to come out and obtain issues,’ I feel it says so much about him as an individual, as a personality.
“The membership wants people who find themselves going to run via a brick wall for them.”
BREAKING: Bruno Fernandes doesn’t need to transfer to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his profession, Sky Sports activities Information understands 🚨 pic.twitter.com/qAufAULGDq
— Sky Sports activities Information (@SkySportsNews) June 3, 2025
Will Fernandes and Sancho staying hamper summer time overhaul?
United’s squad wants a significant overhaul and it stays to be seen the monetary influence of Fernandes staying, in addition to Jadon Sancho, who is set to return from his loan spell at Chelsea after the Conference League winners opted against making the move permanent.
Matheus Cunha has already been introduced as United’s first summer time signing whereas Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is one other goal.
Former United full-back Neville added: “They want gamers who’re going to come back in and hit the bottom operating and Cunha and Mbeumo have gotten clearly Premier League expertise.
“I do know that Ruben Amorim has this technique the place he performs these two gamers in behind a striker. If these two gamers are Mbeumo and Cunha then Manchester United will at the least have the ability to journey rapidly from deep positions into attacking positions as a result of they will each run.
“We all know the likes of Sancho, (Marcus) Rashford, Antony, and possibly (Alejandro) Garnacho are going to depart, so that they want undoubtedly gamers in these positions.”