Bruno Fernandes sweeps PFA Player of the Year to complete historic treble of individual awards

Bruno Fernandes completed a remarkable sweep of English football’s top individual honours on Tuesday, claiming the Men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year award at a ceremony held at The Opera House on Quay Street in Manchester.

The Manchester United captain, 31, beat David Raya, Declan Rice, Erling Haaland, Gabriel Magalhaes and Rayan Cherki to the prize — all six players were named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. The award adds to the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season trophies Fernandes has already collected this term.

Fernandes also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season after registering a record-breaking 21 assists — one more than Thierry Henry managed in the 2002/03 campaign. He added nine goals across the season, contributions that helped United finish third in the Premier League, their highest placing in three years and a return to the level Erik ten Hag achieved in his debut season at Old Trafford.

It is the third consecutive year Fernandes has won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year, having claimed the honour in each of his first two seasons at the club as well. He has also been voted United’s Players’ Player of the Year for the last two campaigns.

Earlier in the evening, United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo missed out on the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly took the accolade ahead of Rayan Cherki, Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi, Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha. O’Reilly also earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year alongside Fernandes, Raya, Jurrien Timber, Magalhaes, William Saliba, Declan Rice, Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Haaland and Igor Thiago.