The Manchester United captain has revealed that he opted to reject the big-money offer from the Middle East as he wants to continue playing at a superior level in the Premier League.

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Fernandes said: "The president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask about the possibility of me moving there.

"I had to wait a while to think about the future. As I’ve always said, I would be willing to do it if United thought it was best to move on.

"I spoke with Ruben Amorim, who really tried to talk me out of it. I spoke to the club, who said they weren’t willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave. From my side, it was a very ambitious proposal, the president was a fantastic person. I never talked about the money, it ended up coming up later, with my agent."

The midfielder continued: "I had to make the decision as a family and understand what I wanted for my future. That was the question my wife asked, what my professional goals would be. At no point did she say yes or no, she always supported me and put my professional side first. It was an easy move, even at a family level. I had Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo. My children are used to playing with theirs.

"But I simply want to stay at the highest level, playing in the big competitions, because I still feel capable of that. I want to continue to be happy and do what I love most. I’m still very passionate about this sport. It’s my way of seeing football and I’m happy with my decision."