Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes needs to decide his future in three days, with Riyadh Crescent of the Saudi Arabian Pro League offering a stunning contract package that requires him to make a choice within 72 hours. The Saudis hope to complete the deal on June 1 in preparation for the subsequent Club World Cup.
According to the British Daily Mail, Riyadh Crescent issued an ultimatum to B Fei's agent to either accept it or say goodbye. They have approached the 30-year-old Portugal international three times in two years, and have offered astronomical treatments.
Riyadh Crescent is reportedly willing to offer a three-year contract worth £200 million, with a weekly salary of £700,000 and tax exemptions. That means Fernandes will get four times his salary at Manchester United, £300,000 a week at Old Trafford, but that's before tax and is subject to 50% tax.
British media believe that B Fei's agent-in-law, Miguel Pinho, has negotiated with Crescent Moon several times, and the other party has now put forward the final demand. As long as Fernandes agrees to personal terms, the Saudi side will make a £100 million offer to Manchester United.
After losing 1-0 to Tottenham in last week's Europa League final, Fernandes have expressed their attitude towards his future, suggesting that United could sell him for cash. British media confirmed that Manchester United are willing to sell all players at the right price in the summer window, including B Fee, and owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will cut money and prepare to raise 2 billion pounds to build a new stadium for 100,000 people.
Manchester United fans have polarized opinions on whether or not to sell B Fee. Some people think that selling him will make it difficult to find a replacement, thus weakening the team. But there are also people who think that he is over thirty years old, and he will not have a chance if he does not sell it at a high price now. There is also a neutral view that Grape Iron Man is a double-edged sword, which can be sold or not, depending on the bid.
However, Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim insisted on keeping Fernandes on the sidelines, reiterating the captain's attitude during his trip to Asia.
Amorim explained: 'We've talked a lot and he's really important to us and the heart of what we want to build around the team. We've talked about this many times, and you can see it in his performance, you can see it in his leadership qualities. That's really important, especially at a time like this. You can see his passion for the game and the man who is brave enough to take responsibility in the face of difficulties. He should do it because he's the captain."
The Manchester United boss added: "In the final round of the Premier League, because there was no pressure on the team, they played well and everyone dared to take the ball. But we had some difficult moments and in those difficult moments you could see that Bruno was a man who took responsibility. He's got experience, he's really important to us and really important to the team we want to build."
Fernandes signed a new contract with Manchester United in August last year, extending it for a further year until 2027, with the option to automatically renew it for another year. Therefore, as B Fee said, it is up to the club to decide whether to sell him or not. In the season just ended, Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 20 assists, and was the team's top scorer and assist leader, winning the Sir Matt Busby Award four times in his six seasons, including this year, when he was voted by fans as the team's Player of the Year.
Fernandes is currently on a £8 million playoff tour with Manchester United in Malaysia and Hong Kong. If his move to Riyadh Crescent is concluded, then this Friday's match against the Hong Kong team at the Hong Kong Stadium will be his "farewell match". After the match, the Portuguese will join Portugal in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals against Germany on June 5, with the final scheduled for June 8.
The FIFA Club World Cup, which is very important to Riyadh Crescent, will be lit up on June 15, and the Crescent will be in Group H with Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Pachuca, starting with Real Madrid on June 19. If B Fei joins, he will be able to make a lot of money and play in the Club World Cup; If they stay at Manchester United, they will miss out on European competition for the following season.