Al-Nassr are reportedly plotting a sensational summer swoop for Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, hoping to reunite him with Cristiano Ronaldo and bolster their Portuguese core.
Just weeks after Fernandes turned down a big-money move to Al-Hilal, the Saudi giants are believed to be preparing an offer to lure the midfielder to Riyadh. With Joao Felix having just completed his switch to Al-Nassr and Portuguese stars Otavio and Ronaldo already in the squad, the club is building a formidable contingent of top-tier Portuguese talent.
Key to the move is Jorge Jesus, the newly appointed head coach at Al-Nassr. Jesus handed Fernandes his senior debut at Sporting Lisbon in 2017 and is pushing for a reunion, seeing the midfielder as the ideal leader to guide the club to domestic and continental success.
Fernandes has previously acknowledged interest from Saudi Arabia, admitting that he had considered a move due to the presence of close friends like Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo at rival clubs. However, he decided to remain at Manchester United for now, citing a desire to continue competing at the highest level.
Al-Nassr’s determination, however, appears to be intensifying. The club’s leadership is eager to add Fernandes to their ambitious project, and with a growing number of Portuguese players in the squad, the move may become increasingly tempting for the United captain.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are already facing a crisis ahead of the new Premier League season. After finishing a dismal 15th last term the worst in their history and narrowly losing the Europa League final, the Red Devils are desperate to rebuild.
Despite landing key signings like Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha, the club’s financial constraints mean player sales are necessary to fund further arrivals. With Marcus Rashford having joined Barcelona and several stars including Antony, Sancho, and Garnacho linked with exits, losing Fernandes would be a devastating blow.
A potential departure of Fernandes just weeks before the new campaign would leave a massive leadership and creativity gap at the heart of United’s midfield one the club may not be prepared to fill in time.
