European giants ‘want to sign’ Bruno Fernandes as soon as 2026

Bruno was linked with a transfer to Saudi Arabia over the summer

Fernandes said: "The club wanted me to go [in the summer], I have that in my head. I told the directors this, but I think they didn’t have the courage to make that decision."

Ultimately Bruno opted to stay put in Manchester, where he's had a productive season so far, registering 11 goal contributions for a resurgent Red Devils side under Ruben Amorim.

However, should the opportunity to sign the former Sporting Lisbon star arise again, one of Europe's biggest clubs are expected to make an attempt to sign him, according to a new report.

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Per Talksport, German giants Bayern Munich are "big admirers" of Fernandes.

If the Man United captain expresses a desire to leave next year, Vincent Kompany's side are more than likely to make an attempt to sign him.

It is widely understood that the player has a £57 million release clause in his contract from next summer, that can only be triggered by clubs outside of England.

If Bruno does decide he's ready to move on, a transfer could work well for both parties, with the sale supporting the Red Devils' aim to rebuild their midfield for the future.

How have Man United responded to Bruno's interview?

According to the Manchester Evening News, the Bruno interview was actually made a number of weeks ago, and was set up by the Portuguese national team, rather than from anyone at the club.

The quotes were released in the aftermath of Man United's 4-4 draw with Bournemouth, giving the impression they were recorded after the game. However, this has been disputed by the MEN report.

As part of his interview, Bruno also went to to also explain the reasons why he decided to stay in the Premier League, adding: “I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely like the club.

"The conversation with the manager also made me stay.

"But, from the club’s side, I felt a bit like, ‘if you leave, it’s not so bad for us.’ “It hurts me a lot. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player they have nothing to criticise about.

"I’m always available, I always play, good or bad. I give my all. Then you see things around you, players who don’t value the club as much and don’t defend the club as much… that makes you sad.”

Adding to Man United's "instant response," renowned journalist Ben Jacobs reports that insiders within Old Trafford have disputed Fernandes' claims.

Jacobs claims that there was no plan to sell the Red Devils captain. Instead, Fernandes is said to be part of the club's long-term planning.

Neither of Fernandes nor Man United manger Ruben Amorim have commented on the situation regarding the club captain's transfer status, since the quotes came to light.