Man United transfer news: Bruno Fernandes addresses "dreams" that stopped Saudi switch as Michael Carrick faces difficult call

Bruno Fernandes has revealed that his wife was instrumental in making him realise that his dreams can be realised at Manchester United.

Fans experienced a turbulent first half the season, but the club have found a sense of stability under interim boss Michael Carrick.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has spearheaded the team's charge to third in the Premier League table, and an assist against Brentford on Monday would leave him needing just two more to break the division record of 20.

The Portuguese was close to leaving Old Trafford last summer, but the attacking midfielder has revealed that his wife helped him realise that an enormous salary in Saudi Arabia would not necessarily help him realise his dreams.

Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport, Fernandes said: "I stayed because I thought I still had something that I can give back to the club. Obviously the Saudi situation, with the money, there was a lot.

"The good thing I have in my family is that my wife is pretty down to earth like me. We're very aware that we don't want to be the richest person in the world. We just want to be the ones that have achieved the dreams they had and live a good life with their kids, and trying to be as successful as possible.

"The words of my wife were like, 'have you achieved your dreams? Have you achieved everything you wanted?' That small thing she said made me understand that she's on the same page as me. Let's keep trying and see where this takes me."

Fernandes has won the FA Cup and EFL Cup during his time at Old Trafford, and there is optimism about the team's future.

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Michael Carrick's difficult summer: Should United build around captain?

There is no doubting that Fernandes has been the best player at United this season, and he has also been the best player at Old Trafford ever since joining in January 2020.

It would ordinarily be a sensible decision to build the future of the team around someone of his quality, but there are concerns about how much longer the attacker can still contribute at a world-class level.

The captain will be 32 in September, and he will have just a year left on his contract at the end of this season, though the Red Devils have the option to extend his deal by a further year.

Carrick is the favourite to be given the job on a permanent basis, but his tenure at Old Trafford could ultimately be decided by what he decides to do with Fernandes.

© Iconsport / Sports Press Photo

Bruno Fernandes future: Why Manchester United should keep star

The Red Devils are set to undergo significant surgery in midfield this summer, with number six Casemiro set to leave for free.

Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte will be the only two players comfortable playing in a double pivot left in the squad, and United will almost certainly need to bring in at least two midfielders.

The last thing Carrick needs is to head into the summer also needing to bring in a starting number 10, so keeping Fernandes at Old Trafford for at least another season would be sensible.