Messi, Mbappe and Other Top Stars Who Rejected Al-Hilal Before Bruno Fernandes

• Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes rejected Al-Hilal's lucrative offer to remain at the club
• The Saudi Pro League club reportedly offered Fernandes a massive £700,000-per-week wage
• The Portuguese footballer was not the first player to reject advances from the meg-rich Saudi league

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down Al-Hilal's advances to continue at Old Trafford despite expectations from the fans that he would leave the club this summer.

Fernandes sparked rumours about a potential exit after his post-match comments after the UEFA Europa League final loss, claiming he will leave if the club wants him to.

Manchester United shared the news of their captain choosing to stay at the club on social media, despite receiving twice what he currently earns at Old Trafford.

However, the Portuguese midfielder was not the first to turn down moves from Al-Hilal, despite the heavy financial incentives.

Legit.ng looks at some selected players who rejected Al-Hilal, as first called by Planet Football.

Players who rejected Al-Hilal

1. Lionel Messi

Messi left Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He spent two seasons at the French club after leaving Barcelona in 2021.

Al-Hilal offered him a salary worth more than €1billion, which could have been a world-record salary for a footballer. He rejected it and joined MLS franchise Inter Miami, choosing to enjoy his final days in the beautiful city of Miami.

2. Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe attempted to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 when he had one year left on his contract. Real Madrid was unwilling to pay a fee, and Saudi club Al-Hilal initiated contact.

According to ESPN, Al-Hilal offered to pay a ridiculous €300 million to PSG, while offering to pay €700mil to the player, but he refused to meet with the club's representatives and stayed in Paris instead.

3. Luka Modric

Modric was another top European star who Al-Hilal targeted in the summer of 2023, offering him a whopping €203mil to ditch Real Madrid and move to Saudi Arabia. He turned it down and accepted a one-year extension from Madrid.

4. Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku and Chelsea attempted to end their tumultuous relationship in the summer of 2023. Al-Hilal offered to sign the Belgian with a €25mil per year salary. The former Manchester United forward turned it down and joined AS Roma on loan instead.

5. Sergio Busquets

Busquets left Barcelona in the summer of 2023. He turned down offers from Europe as he does not want to play for another club. Al-Hilal approached him with an undisclosed amount, but preferred a reunion with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami instead.

Dursun Ozbek’s update on Osimhen

Legit.ng reported that Galatasaray president Dursun Ozbek claimed that if Victor Osimhen chooses the club, it will be because of love and not because of money.

Al-Hilal have reportedly offered the Super Eagles forward €45 million per season, which is three times more than what Galatasaray offered, but he is likely to reject it.

Source: Legit.ng