Man Utd face impossible Bruno Fernandes decision as 'Cristiano Ronaldo gets involved'

Bruno Fernandes is Al-Nassr’s priority transfer target this summer as Cristiano Ronaldo pushes the club to lure his Portuguese compatriot from Manchester United, according to reports. United could face an impossible decision once the window opens, with the Saudi Pro League outfit allegedly ready to break the bank for Fernandes’ signature.

The 29-year-old’s future has descended into uncertainty following a nightmare second season under Erik ten Hag.

United have failed to qualify for the Champions League and could miss out on European football entirely if they remain eighth – a record-low finish – after their final two games this week.

According to the Mirror, Fernandes and his representatives have held showdown talks about his future with the club’s new hierarchy.

The United captain is said to have sought assurances that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’ vision and ambitions match his own, having been stunned by the drop-off this season.

Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have been mooted as suitors, while there is said to be strong interest from Saudi Arabia ahead of another summer of blockbuster dealings.

The report adds that Ronaldo is attempting to orchestrate a deal to bring Fernandes to Al-Nassr, where he landed after his explosive United exit in December 2022.

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Al-Nassr are said to be on the market for upgrades in several positions this summer, and Fernandes has been penned as their first-choice attacking midfielder target.

And it’s claimed that the mega-rich club plan to dip into Saudi Arabia’s bottomless pit of cash to test United’s resolve with a lucrative offer for their captain.

The Old Trafford giants aren’t in a vulnerable position, with Fernandes under contract until 2027 and not expected to force an exit at the end of the campaign.

But there is an acceptance that United must sell to buy beyond a budget limited by FFP and PSR regulations, with only a handful of first-team names reportedly not in the shop window.

Al-Nassr could table a bid the Red Devils can’t refuse, leaving Ratcliffe and co with one of the biggest decisions they could face at the dawn of their new era.

If he does stay put, United chiefs are believed to have privately admitted they can’t afford to continue falling short of their top stars’ expectations.

Fernandes is widely recognised as comfortably the club’s best signing of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, but last season’s Carabao Cup was his only trophy since joining in January 2020.

He has tasted defeat in a Europa League and FA Cup final in that time but has another chance to lift the latter in a rematch against Manchester City at Wembley on May 25.