By Francis Onyach - Reporter
United Kingdom, May 23, 2026 - Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has officially been crowned the 2025/26 Premier League Player of the Season after producing one of the greatest creative campaigns in English top-flight history.
The Portuguese midfielder received the award following a remarkable season in which he scored eight league goals and equalled the all-time Premier League single-season assist record with 20 assists, matching the legendary achievements of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
Fernandes’ extraordinary performances played a central role in Manchester United securing a return to the UEFA Champions League after finishing third in the Premier League table. For much of the campaign, the 31-year-old carried United creatively, delivering decisive performances during the club’s strongest season since the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era began.
The award marks the first time Fernandes has won the official Premier League Player of the Season honor, adding to what has already become an unforgettable individual year for the United captain.
His numbers alone tell the story.
Fernandes already has:
- 8 Premier League goals
- 20 assists
- 28 direct goal contributions
- and a league-record 21 points won through assists
According to Premier League data, no player in league history has ever generated more points for their team through assists in a single season.
His 20th assist came during Manchester United’s dramatic 3–2 victory over Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford, where Fernandes delivered the decisive pass for Bryan Mbeumo’s winning goal. That moment officially moved him level with Thierry Henry’s legendary 2002/03 campaign for Arsenal and Kevin De Bruyne’s 2019/20 season with Manchester City.
What makes Fernandes’ achievement even more remarkable is the unusual way the season unfolded.
His first assist of the campaign did not arrive until October during a 2–1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. From that point onward, Fernandes exploded into unstoppable form, becoming the creative heartbeat of Manchester United’s season.
Throughout the year, he consistently delivered in the biggest matches.
He registered assists against Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Tottenham, and Nottingham Forest while repeatedly rescuing United during difficult periods of the season. Whether operating as a deep-lying playmaker, advanced attacking midfielder, or transitional creator, Fernandes adapted constantly and remained United’s most influential player.
His chemistry with forwards such as Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Šeško, and Matheus Cunha became one of the defining features of United’s attacking resurgence under Michael Carrick.
The Premier League officially confirmed Fernandes as the winner after fan votes were combined with selections from a panel of football experts and analysts. He beat competition from Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, and teammate Bryan Mbeumo.
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The recognition adds to a growing collection of awards for Fernandes this season.
Earlier this month, he was also named Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, becoming the first Manchester United player to win the prestigious award since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Inside Old Trafford, Fernandes has now firmly cemented himself as one of the defining players of Manchester United’s modern era.
Since arriving from Sporting CP in 2020, the Portuguese midfielder has consistently been the club’s creative leader, but this season elevated him into an entirely different conversation. Many supporters and pundits are now openly describing Fernandes as United’s best player since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Reaction across football social media was immediate and overwhelmingly positive.
Manchester United supporters celebrated the award as overdue recognition for a player many believe has carried the club through multiple rebuilding phases. Across Reddit and football forums, fans praised Fernandes for maintaining elite consistency despite years of managerial instability and tactical changes at Old Trafford.
One of the biggest talking points surrounding Fernandes’ season has been the quality and variety of his assists.
From long-range diagonal passes and through balls to set-piece deliveries and counter-attacking creativity, Fernandes repeatedly found new ways to unlock defenses. Several analysts have described the season as one of the greatest playmaking campaigns the Premier League has ever seen.
The achievement also places Fernandes alongside two of the Premier League’s greatest creators.
Thierry Henry’s 20-assist season came during Arsenal’s famous “Invincibles” era, while Kevin De Bruyne matched the total during Manchester City’s dominant Guardiola years. Fernandes has now joined that elite group while helping restore Manchester United to the Champions League.
And remarkably, he still has one final league game remaining against Brighton.
That means Fernandes could yet break the record outright and finish the campaign alone at the top of Premier League history for assists in a single season.
For now, though, the Portuguese playmaker has already secured his place among the league’s all-time great creators.
After years of criticism, pressure, and responsibility at Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes has finally been recognized as the Premier League’s best player.
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