Bruno Fernandes tells Wayne Rooney the 12-word message from his WIFE that made him snub Saudi cash for Man Utd
MANCHESTER UNITED fans have Bruno Fernandes’ wife to thank for him staying at Old Trafford this season.
The Portuguese playmaker was on the verge of an exit last summer when an ENORMOUS offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal came in.
United were willing to cash in on Bruno at that point after a shocking campaign resulted in Europa League final defeat and a 15th-placed Prem finish.
Captain Fernandes still hit 37 goal contributions in all competitions but with the club at a crossroads under Ruben Amorim, a big decision by United chiefs left the player to settle his own future.
And United will be eternally grateful that their No8 chose to write another chapter instead of taking the massive payday.
Fernandes has had perhaps his most influential season in England to date, racking up 18 assists – closing in on the league record of 20.
He also has eight goals and has put interim boss Michael Carrick on the verge of Champions League qualification.
It could all have been so different had it not been for wife Ana Pinho, who Bruno has been with since he was 17.
Talking to club icon Wayne Rooney, he revealed his motivation behind rejecting the Saudi cash, and the wise words of his long-term sweetheart.
Bruno said: “I don’t want to leave the club at a point where we were struggling and we needed something to get back into positions we wanted to be.
“Obviously, I’ll never hide from that. I want to win the Premier League, I want to win the Champions League.
“I never hid from that and I will never hide. I might do it, I might not. That’s part of football.
“I stayed at the club because I think I still have something that I can give back to the club.
“Not just because I’m going to be the [main] player for Man United or the captain for Man United.
“Just because I think I’m still very able to help the club get back to those positions and to get what I wanted in the first place when I came to the club.
“It’s difficult when you hear a lot of things coming from the Saudi situation with the money, it was a lot, and all these things.
“But in my head I was about to stay but the words of my wife were like: ‘Have you achieved your dreams? Have you achieved everything you wanted then?’
“Those small things that she said made me understand that she’s on the same page as me.
“What I was thinking was not wrong. Let’s try it. Let’s keep trying and let’s see where this takes me.”
Rooney joked back: “You always have to listen to your wife.”
As the pair laughed, United fans can now rest assured that Bruno is likely to remain for a while longer yet.
With the former Sporting man in contention to win the Prem’s Player of the Season award, senior figures at United have acted fast to settle their ace in the pack.
They have told Fernandes he is viewed as central to the club’s plans and learned from making him feel “hurt” last year.
Bruno had admitted he was let down by the stance to let him go if he wanted to.
But even with a £56.5million release clause active this summer for teams from abroad, United think he is happy and will stay.
With Pinho at his side, Bruno seems as settled as ever.
