Bruno Fernandes was named the Premier League player of the season after a historic turnaround

Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes has won the 2025/26 Premier League Player of the Year award, the first time he has taken home the honour. The midfielder has enjoyed extraordinary form throughout the year and served as the definitive catalyst for a resurgent side that successfully booked their ticket back to the UEFA Champions League.

The Portugal international was a constant threat, scoring eight goals and providing a staggering 20 assists. The massive move saw him score 28 goals in 37 league games outright and lead the Red Devils to a safe third place in the table.

His historic 20th assist of the home campaign came in a hard-fought 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, where he set up Bryan Mbeuma. With that decisive pass, Fernandes equaled the long-standing record for assists in a single season, bringing him level with the legendary figures of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Overcoming Ruben Amorim’s Tactical Obstacles

The playmaker’s award-winning year began in incredibly difficult circumstances as Manchester United initially struggled during Ruben Amorim’s first full season at the helm. Under the former manager’s tactical setup, the captain was atypically drawn into a deeper role in midfield. Instead of operating as the primary creator of the final third, he was asked to sit deep and dictate the tempo of the game.

However, the club parted ways with Amori after a disappointing run of results. Subsequent appointment of a temporary chief Michael Carrick completely transformed the team’s fortunes. Carrick immediately returned Fernandes to his preferred number ten role, a tactical adjustment that immediately unlocked his elite creative output and crowded United’s front line.

Beating club legends in the history books

“I’m very happy for the assist and the win and to end the season on a high,” commented Fernandes after reaching the historic milestone. “I got to 20, we’ll see – we’ve got one more game! It’s the most I’ve done in the Premier League so I’m very happy with it.

Fernandes now has the opportunity to claim the crown for absolute assists in a single season if he scores another goal during the last league game against Aston Villa. He has already surpassed David Beckham’s previous club record of 15 assists, which has been valid since the 1999/2000 season. Additionally, the 132 goal scoring opportunities he created this term saw him comfortably level with Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai, who had 43 fewer chances.

The award follows his recent recognition as the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, making him the first United international to win the FWA award since Wayne Rooney in 2010. He is also the first Old Trafford player to win the player of the season trophy since Nemanja Vidic in 2011.

To win the coveted individual trophy, Fernandes topped a competitive eight-man shortlist made up of Arsenal trio Declan Rice, Gabriel and David Raya, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, Brentford frontman Igor Thiago and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

23 May 2026 16:11 IST

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