Bruno Fernandes has been awarded the title of Premier League Player of the Season.
The Manchester United midfielder triumphed over contenders including David Raya, Gabriel, and Declan Rice from Arsenal, Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo from Manchester City, Igor Thiago of Brentford, and Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.
The Portuguese midfielder previously received the FWA Footballer of the Year award.
Fernandes matched the record of 20 assists in a Premier League season, previously held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, and has also contributed eight goals.
He has the opportunity to break the assists record in Manchester United’s final game of the season against Brighton on Sunday.
United has secured a third-place finish in the league, ensuring their qualification for the Champions League next season.
This represents the first time 31-year-old Fernandes has received this accolade, making him the first United player to win it since Nemanja Matic during the 2010-11 season.
Other notable Manchester United winners of the Premier League Player of the Season Award include Peter Schmeichel, Dwight Yorke, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney.
However, Fernandes’ focus on breaking the assists record has stirred criticism from former United captain Roy Keane.
“As captain of a club, your focus should be on propelling the team forward, not getting distracted by personal achievements like assists,” Keane expressed on The Overlap.
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“What I heard at United over the weekend was infuriating. The discussions were centered around his assists. It overshadowed the game,” Keane lamented.
“In his post-match interview, he admitted that there were times he should have taken a shot but chose to pass instead. That’s not the mindset of someone committed to winning.”
Keane continued, “After a missed opportunity, he displayed disappointment not for the team, but for himself. It shows where his priorities lie.”