It was a dream season, to say the least, for Manchester United midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes. The Portugese magnifico broke the Premier League record for single season assists; notching 21 in total to surpass the record of 20 that was jointly held by Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City and Thierry Henry of Arsenal.
For his efforts during the 2025-26 campaign, Bruno received the Footballer Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year award in May.
And just last week he collected Premier League Player of the Season honors. Bruno Fernandes also took home the Playmaker of the Year award.
It seems that more plaudits are likely in store for Fernandes this summer, as he’s also one of just six players on the short list for the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Player of the Year award. The wearer of the captain’s armband at United has won two trophies so far at the club (the FA Cup and the League Cup), both of which came during the Erik ten Hag.
Obviously, Fernandes is looking to win more team trophies, to thus complement his individual accomplishments. You can make a case that he’s the most valuable player in the entire Premier League; arguably.
Thierry Henry’s analysis on Bruno Fernandes assist to Mbeumo will forever be GOATED. pic.twitter.com/uh8zW92ksV
— United Pride (@UtdPride) May 24, 2026
His competition on the short list consists of Arsenal’s David Raya, Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes, as well as Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki.
It’s not a stretch to say that this is the best individual season put in by a United player since the Sir Alex Ferguson era. And from there, it is definitely not a reach to say that he’s the best overall player the club has had since Sir Alex stepped down in 2013.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.