Bruno Fernandes rejects Saudi riches, vows to win Premier League and Champions League with Manchester United

Key facts

• Bruno Fernandes turned down a move to Saudi Arabia last summer.
• He has rejected opportunities to leave Manchester United for three consecutive years.
• Fernandes has won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but not the Premier League or Champions League.
• United finished in its lowest-ever Premier League position last season.
• The club lost a European final before the record-low league finish.
• United face Liverpool on Sunday, May 3, in a crucial Premier League match.
• Fernandes is 31 years old and has spent over six years at Old Trafford.
• no desire from United to sell Fernandes, who remains in long-term plans.

A captain's pledge amid turmoil

Bruno Fernandes has declared that winning the Premier League and Champions League with Manchester United is an ambition he cannot fulfil anywhere else, after turning down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia last summer. In an exclusive interview with United legend and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, the 31-year-old captain said his decision to stay was driven by "unfinished business" at a club that has endured its worst Premier League finish and a European final defeat. Fernandes acknowledged that he could have left Old Trafford two or three years ago, but insisted his attachment to the club goes beyond loyalty. "It's not a question of loyalty," he said. "I could have gone two years ago, I could have gone three years ago, I could have gone last season, but I really like to be here."

Rejecting the Saudi option

The Portuguese midfielder turned down an approach from the Saudi Pro League last summer, a decision that came despite intense speculation about his future. United had no desire to sell and consider Fernandes a cornerstone of their long-term project. Fernandes explained that the emotional reward of succeeding at Old Trafford outweighs any financial incentive elsewhere. "I think that being successful at this club is something that I can never get at another club," he told Neville. "The joy and everything I get, the day I get what I want from this club, I don't think I will get that from any other club in the world."

The weight of past failures

Fernandes candidly addressed the club's recent struggles, including a record-low Premier League finish and a defeat in a European final. "The club was in a tough moment because we just lost a European final, [and] we finished the lowest in the Premier League United has ever done," he said. Despite those setbacks, he remains determined to restore the club to its former glory. "Six years ago, the club trusted me to come here and believed I could help the club," he added. "At the time, my decision was made by [the fact that] I haven't fulfilled my dreams here. I haven't achieved everything I wanted."

A personal quest for glory

Fernandes has already won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during his six-year tenure at Old Trafford, but he made clear that those trophies are not enough. "Yeah, I won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup [but] what this club wants, what these fans want and what I want, myself and the team, we haven't got that yet," he said. His ultimate targets are the Premier League and Champions League titles, even as he acknowledges the difficulty of catching England's dominant clubs. "I've never hidden that I want to win the Premier League and the Champions League with the club," Fernandes said. "I might do it, I might not. But until I get the chance or until I'm here to do that, I'm going to try."

The Liverpool test

Fernandes's resolve will face an immediate test on Sunday, when United host Liverpool in a Premier League match that is critical for Champions League qualification. Victory in the historic rivalry is essential to keep alive the possibility of playing in Europe's top competition next season, a platform Fernandes needs to pursue his ambitions. The match, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on Sky Sports Premier League from 2:30 p.m., represents a chance for United to build momentum after a season without European football. Fernandes said he shares the fans' hunger for the club's return to the top. "I know how much the fans want this, I know how passionate they are," he said. "I know how much they are waiting for the club to come back again. I'm on the same ship as them."

A long-term commitment

Fernandes's contract at Old Trafford runs until at least 2027, and he has pledged to give everything until it expires. "Until my contract expires, I'm going to try," he said. His decision to stay, despite interest from Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, underscores his belief that the club can return to the elite. However, he did not shy away from the scale of the challenge. "Is it going to be difficult? Yes," he said. "You have top clubs in the league that have been winning the league for so many years and being consistently there and we're not."

The bottom line

• Bruno Fernandes rejected a Saudi move last summer and has turned down exit opportunities for three years.
• He aims to win the Premier League and Champions League with Manchester United, calling it 'unfinished business'.
• United finished in its lowest-ever Premier League position and lost a European final before this season.
• Fernandes has won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but considers the biggest prizes still out of reach.
• The captain's commitment will be tested in Sunday's crucial Premier League match against Liverpool.
• Fernandes remains a cornerstone of United's long-term plans, with no desire from the club to sell.