Bruno Fernandes' Man Utd exit plan in doubt as secret release clause details come to light

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes' release clause could scupper the Portugal star's dreams of playing in Brazil. At the very least, any club from the South American country looking to meet the asking price would need to more than double their transfer record.

Fernandes opted to stay at Old Trafford despite summer interest from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal, but he will reportedly be allowed to leave for a team outside the Premier League if they are prepared to pay a little under £57million. The current record for Brazil's Serie A is the £22.3m Palmeiras paid Barcelona for Vitor Roque earlier this year.

The Portugal international indicated to journalists this week that he is happy at Old Trafford for now, while hinting he could assess his options once more after the 2026 World Cup. "I had the conversations with Al-Hilal. Everyone is aware of that. Everyone knows that. There were also other clubs that tried after Al-Hilal, but obviously my answer wouldn't change," he said.

He also pointed to Ruben Amorim's desire for him to stay, adding: "I always said that if the club was like 'Bruno, we want to cash in, you are 30 years old. We want to make some money. We don't think you can be part of the future project', or whatever, I would be like, OK, I have to find a solution for myself, whatever is best for me and my family. And I will leave.

"But obviously that wasn't the case. I felt that I was still part of the plan, that I could still help the club to achieve whatever was our aims. And that's what made me stay. Obviously, I have a big connection with the fans, with the club, also the country. My family feels very well here."

It was back in May that Fernandes spoke about a desire to potentially play in Brazil . "Whenever I can, I follow it, because I find Brazilian football attractive, electric football, with a lot of quality, joy, very one-on-one," he said.

"It’s pure football. And I think that now, with the coaches that are there, not only the Portuguese, but also Brazilians, are increasingly developing in the tactical part. I don’t really like talking about the distant future, but it’s like I said. It’s attractive football, very interesting.

"The only thing is that the trips are very long there in Brazil! There are many competitions, many clubs that play Libertadores and Sudamericana, very good competitions. I’m not saying no, because Brazilian football is very attractive, and we never know the future."

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Even if a team meets Fernandes' clause next summer, there's no guarantee it will lead to a move. He has continued to play a big part under Amorim, albeit often in a deeper role than the one he often occupied last season.

Much can change between now and May, with United chasing a return to European football after last season's lowly finish. They entered this weekend just two points off the Champions League places, but a congested top half means there's still plenty to play for.