Manchester United reject Galatasaray's audacious £56m bid to prise away Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United have rejected an approach from Galatasaray for captain Bruno Fernandes, according to The Independent, with the club making clear the 31-year-old is not available as the summer transfer window enters its final weeks.

Fernandes is entering the final 12 months of the three-year deal he signed in 2024, though United hold an option to extend it by a further season. His contract contains a £56million release clause, but crucially that clause can only be triggered by clubs outside England — a detail that made Galatasaray’s approach structurally possible, even if United’s response was immediate.

The Istanbul club have been among the more ambitious spenders in recent windows, having previously added Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane to their squad. Their interest in Fernandes is not new — The Mirror reported in May that the Portuguese international was a priority target — but United’s stance has not shifted.

Fernandes is central to manager Michael Carrick’s plans for the coming season, which marks United’s return to the Champions League for the first time since 2024. While no contract extension is currently being discussed ahead of the new campaign, the club has indicated that position could change once the season is underway.

The captain himself offered little encouragement to potential suitors last month. “Playing for Manchester United is always a special moment for everyone,” he said. “I think everyone always believes that we can be the ones who are going to turn the page, the ones who are going to make it possible for United to fight on all fronts. And I think that has to be special for us players, to realise that we can be the main protagonists of this change of history for United to win again.”

United finished third in the Premier League last season — their highest placing since 2022/23 — and Carrick will be looking to Fernandes as a key figure as the club attempts to build on that momentum across both domestic and European competition in 2026/27.