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Manchester United open to selling Bruno Fernandes if massive bid arrives: Report

Bruno Fernandes suggested Manchester United might sell him, sparking January transfer speculation. 

Updated on: Dec 31, 2025, 14:36:22 IST
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Manchester United could be forced into a defining decision over their captain after Bruno Fernandes revealed he believed the club were willing to sell him in the summer, triggering fresh January speculation.

Bruno Fernandes reacts after sustaining an injury. (REUTERS)
Bruno Fernandes reacts after sustaining an injury. (REUTERS)

Football insider reported United were prepared to accept an enormous bid following Fernandes’ comments, with Saudi Pro League interest being framed as the key pressure point.

What Fernandes said and why a sale is on the table

Feranandes, 31, said he felt United wanted to leave him when Al-Hilal explored a move in the last window, describing the moment as one where he sensed the culb were open to cashing in. United have since insisted he remains part of their plans.

The Portugal playmaker also indicated any future would need to make sense beyond money, citing family and life considerations, while stressing he remains committed to United as long as he is wanted. In the same interview run, he spoke about the idea of playing in Spain or Italy later in his career, but only when his situation at Old Trafford changes.

The backdrop is the scale of the mooted deal. Reports around the summer approach put a potential fee of about £ 100 million and wages in the region of £ 700,00 per week, figures that would represent a major windfall for a club undergoing financial scrutiny.

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Fernandes is under contract until June 2027, meaning United are not under immediate contractual pressure to sell, but the size of any offer would test their resolve. Former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, quoted in the report, framed the choice in pure asset terms: if United can release a peak valuation for a player entering his thirties, the logic is to take the cash rather than carry the decline risk.

United signed Bruno Fernandes from Sporting in January 2020 for a fee of around £ 67.7 million, so a £ 100 million sale would represent a substantial profit on the initial outlay.

There is also a practical complication. Fernandes suffered a soft-tissue injury against Aston Villa on December 21 and is expected to miss matches into mid-January, with the Manchester derby on January 17 cited as a possible return point. On the pitch, his output remains central to United’s attack, with five goals and seven assists in 18 appearances this season, numbers that underline why any exit would leave a leadership and creativity vacuum.

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