The truth about Al Hilal's renewed interest in signing Bruno Fernandes

A deferred dream or an impossible deal?

Al-Hilal are not about to renew their pursuit of Bruno Fernandes this winter. Reports linking the Saudi giants with a fresh move for Portugal's Manchester United captain have been shot down, with an English journalist setting the record straight on the club's true position.

Ben Jacobs confirmed on his account on the "X" platform that claims of Al-Hilal reviving their interest in the Portuguese star next January simply aren't true. Every foreign-player slot in the Saudi squad, he pointed out, is already filled.

His denial followed press reports claiming Al-Hilal were ready to table a new offer worth up to 55 million euros to prise their captain away from Manchester United in the winter window. None of it was ever officially confirmed.

Fernandes topped Al-Hilal's wishlist back in the summer of 2025. The Saudi club chased him before the FIFA Club World Cup, lodging a bid with Manchester United that approached 100 million pounds sterling, with weekly wages for the player set at 700,000 pounds sterling.

The deal collapsed despite the money on the table. Bruno himself confirmed he had received an offer from Al-Hilal, revealing that Fahd bin Nafel, the club's president at the time, phoned him personally to gauge whether he fancied a switch to the Saudi league.