Saudi Interest in Fernandes
Manchester United are reportedly close to finalizing a deal for captain Bruno Fernandes with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal, who believe an agreement is imminent following positive talks with his agent, Miguel Pinho, per Football365. The 30-year-old Portuguese star, offered £1m-a-week, is deliberating with his family, with Al-Hilal setting a June 6 deadline, per The Telegraph. A £80m-£100m transfer fee could significantly boost United’s £100m summer budget, already stretched by Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m signing, per The Mirror. Paul Scholes supports the sale, arguing £100m is too good to refuse, despite Fernandes’s 98 goals and 51 Premier League assists in 290 games, per The Overlap.
Onana’s Potential Exit
United are also open to selling goalkeeper André Onana, who has attracted interest from Saudi clubs, though no concrete offer exists from Neom SC, per The United Stand. The 29-year-old Cameroonian, criticized for errors like conceding 65 goals in 50 games in 2024/25, could fetch £35m, with United eyeing Lille’s Lucas Chevalier and Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens as replacements, per The Sun. Onana’s £200,000-a-week wages and contract until 2028 complicate negotiations, per TEAMtalk. Despite his desire to stay, United’s financial constraints, worsened by a £100m revenue loss from missing Champions League qualification, make his sale viable, per ESPN.
Financial and Strategic Context
United’s 15th-place finish, their lowest in over 50 years, and a 1-0 Europa League final loss to Tottenham, who secured Champions League football, have forced a squad overhaul under Ruben Amorim, per Sky Sports. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting, including releasing Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans, underscores the need for funds, per Metro. Selling Fernandes and Onana could finance targets like Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, though Newcastle also pursue him, per The Mail Online. On X, @UnitedStandMUFC reported Al-Hilal’s confidence, while fans on @Manutd_addicts split over Fernandes’s potential exit, with some calling him “unsellable.”
What’s Next?
United’s financial juggling, with Profit and Sustainability Rules looming, makes high-profile sales likely, per The Athletic. Fernandes’s decision, pivotal for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, is expected soon, while Onana’s future hinges on Saudi offers, per FootballTransfers. United’s next moves, including a potential Torino’s Vanja Milinković-Savić bid, aim to stabilize the squad, per The Mirror. The Club World Cup, starting June 14, adds urgency to Al-Hilal’s pursuit of Fernandes, per The Daily Mail. @FabrizioRomano on X noted United’s openness to offers, signaling a transformative summer.
