Bruno Fernandes tells of 'message' from club that convinced him to stay at Man Utd

Bruno Fernandes has told what convinced him to stay at Manchester United and turn down offers from Saudi Arabia.

The Portuguese midfielder has become a key player for United in recent seasons which has also led to interest from other clubs and the Old Trafford side had the opportunity to cash in last summer.

But the 31-year-old rejected the move to the Saudi Pro League in order to stay at United, despite Al-Hilal reportedly being open to paying a fee of about £100m and wages of up to £700,000 a week.

"Or going and winning trophies - I stayed here because I still think I can win trophies here," said Fernandes.

"I wouldn't have stayed here if the club hadn't told me our aim is still to get to the highest we can be, get back to winning trophies, get back to being the club we were before.

"Because if that was not the aim then yes I wouldn't have stayed here, but I know the aim of the club is still to get back to where they want to be and where I want the club to be. And that's why I came to the club in first place. So if I can help to get back there, that's all I want to do."

But Fernandes has also claimed that the United board wanted him to leave in the summer to cash in on him which made him "sad".

Looking back on the Al-Hilal interest in a new interview recorded a few weeks ago, he said of United's stance: "From the club I felt it was, 'If you go it's not so bad for us'. It hurts me a bit."

And now speaking to Rio Ferdinand he added: "For me when I came to the club, apart from being here and loving the club, I think my loyalty was shown that in the toughest periods of the club when I could have left two times, the club said 'no we need you' and I said 'okay, you gave me something and I'll give you something'.

"Obviously my time at the club hasn't been as I wanted because I wanted to lift trophies, and I haven't lifted as many as I should, and I could but at the same time everything I have done for the club in a certain way is still very important."