It is literally the worst situation. The team's captain and ace is also trying to leave.
The Sun reported on the 31st, "The prestigious Saudi team Al Hilal is targeting Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes (31). Al Hilal is willing to offer a transfer fee of 100 million pounds (approximately 182.6 billion won). Fernandes' weekly wage reaches 700,000 pounds (approximately 13 billion won)."
Fernandes has been with Manchester United since 2020, joining from Sporting. He has scored 62 goals in 195 matches and serves as Manchester United's captain. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Fernandes is the only veteran doing his part in a crumbling Manchester United. Manchester United fell to 15th in the Premier League last season, leading to their decline.
A particularly decisive factor was the defeat in the Europa League. Manchester United lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final for the 2024-2025 season, held at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd. As a result, Manchester United's chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season have been thwarted. Additionally, their league performance has been poor, making European competition qualification impossible.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), this defeat for Manchester United is not just a simple runner-up. Financially, it is reported to be a loss of nearly 100 million pounds (approximately 186 billion won). The BBC noted, "Whether they qualify for the Champions League has a significant impact on the overall financial structure of Manchester United." In fact, Manchester United has incurred cumulative losses of about 550 billion won over the past three years, with liabilities exceeding 1 billion pounds (approximately 1.86 trillion won). Additionally, every time they fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, they have to pay a penalty of 10 million pounds (approximately 18.5 billion won) due to their contract with Adidas and other sponsors.
Financial expert Kieran Maguire analyzed that participation in the Champions League could generate up to 100 million pounds in revenue. However, Manchester United lost to Tottenham 1-0 in this final, failing to qualify for the Champions League, which necessitates a complete revision of their rebuilding plans.
British Sky Sports also pointed out, "Manchester United may not be able to overhaul their squad to even half of what they want or need this summer, due to reduced financial influence. It is particularly concerning that Bruno has acknowledged this, as well." They added, "The financial issues are certainly a significant obstacle. But even aside from that, does Manchester United still have the appeal to persuade players?"
Amid all this, the possibility of captain Fernandes leaving the team has also been raised. He has consistently attracted interest from big clubs in the Middle East as well as Barcelona, but has demonstrated loyalty to Manchester United. He was significantly disappointed with Manchester United last summer but ultimately chose to stay. However, now that Manchester United is suffering from financial pressures, Fernandes' future has also become uncertain.
After the final, Fernandes said, "I have said many times that I want to stay at the club. But if Manchester United tells me to leave, then I will. Honestly, I want to continue playing at Manchester United, but if the club says to leave, that's football." He added, "If the club says I have to leave the team due to financial difficulties, I think that’s the nature of football. There are no guarantees about the future in football. I have always thought that, and I still do. If the club wants to cash in on me, I will gladly follow that."
Fernandes' weekly wage at Manchester United is approximately 280,000 pounds (about 520 million won). Considering the differences before and after tax, his base salary would more than quadruple. If Fernandes leaves, he could earn around 200 million pounds (approximately 372 billion won) over three years, including bonuses.
The Sun reported, "Fernandes is leading the team's off-season tour as a member of Manchester United. He has until the 29th to respond to the offer. Negotiations between the player and Al Hilal are already underway to some extent." They emphasized, "If Fernandes decides, Al Hilal will offer Manchester United 100 million pounds (approximately 186 billion won) for his transfer."
If Fernandes leaves the team due to Manchester United's financial difficulties, it is likely that the Europa League final will lead to unprecedented consequences.
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