Kolkata : Bruno Fernandes ended remarkable campaign for Manchester United in Premier league 2025-26 , and is awarded ‘Player of the Season’.
The Portuguese midfielder has been at the heart of United’s resurgence this season, combining leadership with elite creativity in the final third.
Fernandes registered his 20th assist of the league campaign last weekend, drawing level with two Premier League legends for the most assists in a single season. Thierry Henry previously held this record during 2003-04 season where Arsenal bagged the title, followed by Manchester City player Kevin De Bruyne in 2019-20.
The Portuguese has directly contributed to 28 goals — scoring eight and assisting a joint-record 20 — in 37 Premier League appearances so far.
Fernandes still has the opportunity to make history outright when United face Brighton & Hove Albion in their final league game on Sunday.
The award adds to an already memorable month for the Portugal international, who was also recognised earlier this May as England’s Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.
Fernandes has been the driving force in a resurgent Red Devils side who have secured third place and a UEFA Champions League spot.
“I’m very happy for the assist and for the win, and to finish the season on a high,” Fernandes said after his record-equalling feat.
“I got to 20, let’s see [if I can get to 21], we have one more game. It’s the highest I’ve done in the Premier League so I am very happy with it.”
In March, Fernandes was voted EA SPORTS Player of the Month, equalling the number of times his former Man Utd team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo won the award (six).
The 31-year-old has written himself into the history books already, by surpassing David Beckham’s status as Man Utd’s top creator. Beckham previously held the club’s record for the most assists in a single Premier League season, setting up 15 goals in the 1999/2000 campaign.
Overall, Fernandes has created 132 chances this season, the most in the Premier League and an incredible 43 chances more than the next-best, Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
The coveted Player of the Season award has been running since 1994/95 and Fernandes is the seventh player to receive it while representing Man Utd, following in the footsteps of Peter Schmeichel, Dwight Yorke, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney.
Fernandes has won the 2025/26 award after votes from supporters were combined with those of a panel of experts. He topped an eight-man shortlist that also included Arsenal’s Gabriel, David Raya and Declan Rice, Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, plus Brentford striker Igor Thiago, and Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
