Bruno Fernandes made his 300th appearance for Manchester United as he started against Brighton on Saturday. The Portuguese midfielder joined United in January 2020 from Sporting CP and is regarded as the best signing the club has made in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. The captain made his milestone appearance five months after rejecting a succulent offer to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Getty Images SportFernandes 'proud and privileged' to play 300th game
Fernandes is the most experienced player in the United squad despite Harry Maguire arriving six months before him and Luke Shaw joining five-and-a-half years earlier. The Portuguese has averaged 54 appearances across his five full campaigns with United and is on track to enter the club's top 50 appearance makers before the end of the season.
"I am very proud, it is a privilege, an honour," Fernandes told ahead of the milestone match. "This is far, far from everything I have dreamed about, you know. I just wanted to play football when I was a kid and now getting into this club, having the chance to play 300 times for this club, it is something I am very grateful for."
AdvertisementAmorim wanted Fernandes to stay
Fernandes famously turned down an offer to join Al-Hilal in the summer. He has revealed that the offer was "massive money," reportedly almost triple the salary he earns at United. He explained that he informed coach Ruben Amorim and the club's top directors about the offer, which he also discussed with Cristiano Ronaldo. But he never had his heart set on heading to the Middle East. And when he was told that Amorim wanted him to stay, it was a simple decision.
Fernandes told reporters: "The manager spoke with me. He said I was still part of the project. He wanted me to stay. The club said the same. And I always said that if the club was like ‘Bruno, we want to cash in, you are 30 years old. We want to make some money. We don't think you can be part of the future project’ or whatever. I would be like, OK, I have to find a solution for myself, whatever is best for me and my family. And I will leave. But obviously that wasn't the case. I felt that I was still part of the plan, that I could still help the club to achieve whatever was our aims. And that's what made me stay. Obviously, I have a big connection with the fans, with the club, also the country. My family feels very well here."
Getty Fernandes targeting Premier League title after rejecting Saudi move
Fernandes has won just two trophies with United, the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. Although United finished 15th last season and made a rocky start to this campaign, he insisted that winning the Premier League and the Champions League remains a target for him.
He said: "Obviously, every season I come back, I always have the belief that we can achieve something because you can have a very bad season, then you come back, you start the pre-season, you see the mood, because obviously the pre-season the mood is always very soft, very happy and tough training sessions and everything. But you always start to see certain things, like this season we might achieve what we want, but obviously we know there is much more behind that.
"Obviously, everyone knows my aim is to win the Premier League and the Champions League with the club. If I'm going to do it or not, I'm not going to be able to tell you because if I would be able to tell you, I would be very happy at this moment that I know that I'm going to win in some moment in these three years, [that] I'm going to win either the Premier League or the Champions League, but I can't tell that. If that's my aim and also the aim for the club, as they say, that's the truth."
Sesko & Yoro start, Malacia returns to squad
Amorim made two changes to the starting XI that beat Liverpool 2-1 last week to record the club's first victory at Anfield in 10 seasons. He recalled £74m striker Benjamin Sesko as Mason Mount had a slight knock while Leny Yoro replaced the injured Harry Maguire, who scored the late winner on Merseyside. There was also a surprise name on the substitutes bench as Tyrell Malacia was named in a matchday squad for the first time since last January and since returning from his loan at PSV Eindhoven.