Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year for 2025/26 following an outstanding season with the club.
Fernandes was voted the best player in the Premier League by his fellow professionals at the 53rd annual PFA Awards ceremony in Manchester on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old beat Arsenal trio Declan Rice, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhães, as well as Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki, to the prestigious award. The six-man shortlist was selected through voting by PFA members, with players voting for fellow professionals in their league.
Fernandes finished the league season with nine goals and a record 21 assists, becoming the first player to reach 21 assists in a single Premier League season. His 21st assist came on the final day against Brighton & Hove Albion, when he set up Patrick Dorgu’s goal.
The United captain also led the Premier League for chances created, producing 136 in total, 58 more than second-placed Dominik Szoboszlai. Fernandes also topped the league for chances created from open play, with 98, and from set pieces, with 38.
The honour is Fernandes’ first PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, making him Manchester United’s first winner since Wayne Rooney, who claimed the award in the 2009/10 season.
The Portuguese midfielder now joins a prestigious list of recent winners, including Mohamed Salah, who won the award in 2018, 2022 and 2025; Virgil van Dijk in 2019; Kevin De Bruyne in 2020 and 2021; Erling Haaland in 2023; and Phil Foden in 2024.
Fernandes was also voted into the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for 2025/26, alongside several players from Arsenal and Manchester City.
The player-voted XI features Arsenal’s David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, while Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago complete the team alongside Fernandes.
