Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed that he could have left the Red Devils during last summer's transfer window.
There was a host of speculation surrounding the Portugal international's future towards the end of the 2023-24 campaign, but he stayed at Old Trafford, and the attacker has again had a strong season from a personal point of view.
The 30-year-old has scored 15 goals and registered 13 assists in 43 appearances for Man United, including a hat trick against Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday night to send his side into the quarter-finals of the competition.
Fernandes signed a new deal at Old Trafford in August 2024, with his terms running until June 2027, and there is also an option to extend the agreement for a further 12 months to the summer of 2028.
The Portuguese has revealed that he "had an offer to leave" last summer, but he was confident that Man United viewed him as a key part of their rebuilding plans during a period of huge change.
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Fernandes has again been Man United's standout performer this season
"I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave," Fernandes told reporters. "We talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying.
"They said what they wanted from me. I just asked if they still see me as part of the future of the club or not. I spoke at the time with (Erik) Ten Hag also.
"He was very clear with me, the club was very clear with me, that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild. I thought that we could be successful."
Fernandes has also responded to recent criticism aimed his way by former Man United captain Roy Keane, who questioned whether the Red Devils skipper was fighting to help the club return to the top.
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Fernandes responds to recent Keane criticism
"Roy Keane was an amazing captain for the club, one of the best as everyone says," said Fernandes.
"I didn't have the chance to see much from him, only the last few years, but he was a great player that won everything for the club. He's massively respected from everyone and has all my respect.
"He has to give his opinion in a programme and this is what he thinks about me. I don't want to copy anyone. I try to be the best captain that I can for my team-mates and help everyone in the best way I know.
"We can't relax at this club. We need to prove ourselves every day in training and every day that we have a game. I'm in the same boat as my teammates. It doesn't matter how much you do, how much you score, how much you assist... It's about the team.
"I'm very happy at the club. Obviously, I want to win trophies. I want to be in the biggest competitions, I want to fight for the big trophies. That's what I said to the club. That's what the club said to me that they want to do."
Fernandes made the move to Man United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, and he has represented the club on 276 occasions in all competitions, scoring 94 goals and registering 79 assists in the process.
Matt Law
