Bruno Fernandes has revealed the pivotal role his wife played in his decision to stay at Manchester United last summer, turning down a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League.
A Tempting Offer
The 31-year-old United captain was heavily linked with a big-money transfer to Al-Hilal, with reports suggesting his agent Miguel Pinho had been in talks over a potential £100m deal. However, Fernandes ultimately chose to remain at Old Trafford.
Family First
Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport, Fernandes explained: "I stayed because I thought I still had something that I can give back to the club. Obviously the Saudi situation, with the money… there was a lot. The good thing I have in my family is that my wife is pretty down to earth like me."
He continued: "We’re very aware that we don’t want to be the richest person in the world. We just want to be the ones that have achieved the dreams they had and live a good life with their kids and trying to be as successful as possible."
The Decisive Words
Fernandes credited his wife's simple question as the turning point: "The words of my wife were like, ‘have you achieved your dreams? Have you achieved everything you wanted?’ And that small thing she said made me understand that she’s on the same page as me. Let’s keep trying and see where this takes me."
Vindication on the Pitch
Fernandes' decision appears to have been vindicated as he has produced some of his best form for United this season, helping the club chase a Champions League place. He has scored eight Premier League goals and provided 18 assists, just two short of the record shared by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry.
Individual Recognition
Former England captain Wayne Rooney told Fernandes that he deserves to win this season's player of the year awards. The Portugal midfielder responded: "You can say as many times as you want that you want to win trophies collectively. That is true. But these individual accolades are always nice on the personal side. It is players voting for you. That has a different impact because you have been playing against them. If they recognise you as one of the best in the league, it’s a huge privilege."
