Under normal circumstances, selling Bruno Fernandes, one of Manchester United's only successful players since Sir Alex Ferguson, would seem unacceptable. But a £100m bid for a player who turns 31 next November changes everything. Another major benefit of this transfer could be avoiding a major rebellion within the United fan base if the captain decides to leave.
Fernandes is seriously considering joining Al-Hilal, the most successful club in the Saudi Professional League, in a stunning nine-figure deal. And the contract offer is said to exceed £200m, to lure the Portuguese midfielder to the Middle East. His agent, Miguel Pinho, met with Al-Hilal representatives on Thursday to discuss the possible details of a deal that would cause huge controversy among United fans. It is understood a decision is due within a week, as Al-Hilal want Fernandes in their squad for the Club World Cup.
United's stance remains unchanged, they do not want to sell their star player. Manager Ruben Amorim wants to build the rebuilding project around his compatriot. Only Kevin De Bruyne has provided more assists in the Premier League than Fernandes since 2020, when he moved from Sporting, although the team has not achieved much success.
However, the size of the offer has surprised the board. United are in urgent need of selling players to give Amorini the funds he needs to complete his squad rebuild, and any player is available for the right price. Bruno Fernandes was thought to be untouchable, but now that the offer has attracted attention, the club may have no other choice.
There is great resistance among fans to this move, but if Fernandes leaves, it is expected that Kobbie Mainoo will remain in the squad, avoiding any deep revolt within the United shirt.
