Bruno Fernandes transfer truth after Man Utd star missed out on rival move

Bruno Fernandes has lifted the lid on how close he was to joining one of Manchester United's biggest rivals

Bruno Fernandes' career trajectory could have looked vastly different had he signed for the first Premier League side to express interest in him. Despite his achievements at Manchester United, Tottenham actually demonstrated greater ambition when initially pursuing the Portuguese midfielder.

It was during the summer of 2019, whilst Jose Mourinho was manager at Spurs, that the club first made enquiries about the then-Sporting CP player. However, the north London outfit were unwilling to meet the valuation, leaving him to remain in Portugal.

The 31 year old eventually secured a move to Old Trafford for an initial £47million just under six months later. Today, Fernandes is considered amongst the Premier League's finest talents, having captained United for nearly three seasons.

Yet circumstances might have unfolded quite differently had Spurs been prepared to pay the required fee a little over six years ago. Fernandes addressed the situation candidly when speaking about the potential transfer at the conclusion of the 2019 summer window.

In a 2019 interview with GQ, he said: "As you all know, Tottenham made a lot of proposals for me. Everything was right with me - or practically should be. I never made any big demands, my manager was always dealing with the finances."

"It was, and is, my goal to play in England. Sporting know that, everyone knows that, and there were conditions for things to be done. But Sporting understood that the value was not enough and I have to respect the decision."

Fernandes' future at Old Trafford has come under the spotlight once more following fresh speculation linking him with a departure next year. The Portugal international was reportedly pursued by Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal during the recent summer window and has since addressed the rumours, whilst taking a swipe at United for failing to make him feel sufficiently valued.

"I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely like the club," he told Maisfutebol. "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, and 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."

Ruben Amorim clearly played a significant part in persuading United's skipper to remain at the club for at least another campaign. However, this may only prove to be a short-term solution, as Fernandes has since given another interview suggesting potential moves to Spain, Italy or Portugal.

He revealed to Canal 11 that he "would like to experience the Spanish league and fight for big titles in Italy," where his daughter was born. He also mentioned Sporting as a potential destination that could materialise should they express interest.

The attacking midfielder has registered 196 direct goal contributions across 307 appearances for United and remains under contract at Old Trafford until 2027, with an option for an additional year. Tottenham may look back with regret at not meeting the asking price for a player who has repeatedly demonstrated his quality in England, with Spurs' decision ultimately working out significantly in United's favour.