Fernandes Explains Saudi Rejection and Hails Carrick's Man Utd Impact

Manchester United's captain has pulled back the curtain on why he turned his back on a Saudi Pro League windfall last summer, while delivering a glowing assessment of Michael Carrick's steadying hand at the helm.

Bruno Fernandes could have been sunning himself in the Middle East this season. The Portuguese midfielder attracted serious interest from Saudi Arabia, and a deal seemed plausible enough at the time. Instead, he chose to stick around at Old Trafford—and his reasoning offers a refreshing glimpse into his priorities.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Fernandes explained that despite the eye-watering financial proposition, his family kept him grounded. His wife, he revealed, posed a simple but profound question: had he actually achieved everything he'd set out to accomplish? That moment of clarity proved decisive.

"I stayed because I thought I still had something that I can give back to the club," Fernandes said. "The Saudi situation, with the money… there was a lot. But my wife is pretty down to earth like me. We're very aware that we don't want to be the richest person in the world. We just want to be the ones that have achieved the dreams they had and live a good life with their kids and trying to be as successful as possible."

He added: "I didn't want to leave the club at the point where we were struggling."

The decision looks rather prescient now. United have won eight of their last 12 games and sit third in the table, firmly in the Champions League conversation. Much of that resurgence owes itself to Carrick's appointment as interim boss.

Fernandes has nothing but praise for his manager's impact. He recalled Carrick's brief three-game spell in charge during the 2021/22 season, suggesting the former midfielder was always destined for bigger things. "The way he prepared for the games and the way he spoke to us made you think he was more than an assistant manager. He was ready for the next step," Fernandes reflected.

On Carrick's current tenure, the skipper highlighted the manager's ability to reset the squad's mentality. "When he came in, he had the positive energy the team needed. Not just nice words but when he needed something stronger, or something softer, something to bring the team together. That was not just important for the team but the whole environment."

The transformation in mindset has been striking. Rather than dwelling on past disappointments, United have shifted into solution mode. "We weren't thinking about what could have been or what we should have done. Very quickly we changed to, 'it didn't work out, let's turn on to the other one and push to achieve what we want this season'," Fernandes explained.

The upshot? A third-place finish that looked improbable mere weeks ago now seems within touching distance. "We have got very good results. This league is so tough and at this moment, we are in the best position we could be. When Michael came in, we never thought at this moment, we would be third," Fernandes concluded.