Bruno Fernandes joins Ronaldo and De Gea with 4th Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year win

The 2024-25 season has been far from ideal for Manchester United and their supporters, especially with their lackluster league campaign, but amidst the struggles, Bruno Fernandes has continued to be a beacon of consistency and leadership for the team. The Portuguese playmaker’s remarkable performances have earned him the prestigious Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the fourth time, joining an elite list of legends, including David De Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo.Even as Manchester United sit in a disappointing 16th place—markedly their worst-ever Premier League finish—Fernandes has been a standout. With 19 goals and 19 assists in 54 appearances, he has consistently delivered when the team needed him most. His performances have been instrumental in keeping the Red Devils competitive, even when results on the domestic front have been hard to come by.This season, Fernandes' statistics match those from his standout 2020-21 campaign, when he scored 28 goals and provided 17 assists in 58 games. It’s only the second time since his arrival from Sporting CP that he has surpassed the 19-goal, 19-assist mark. His ability to create chances, score goals, and lead the team has made him irreplaceable, particularly when United have faltered in league play.In winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the fourth time, Fernandes joins a select group of United greats. Only David De Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo have also won the award four times. De Gea earned the honor four times between 2014 and 2018, while Ronaldo claimed his fourth award during his second stint with the club. Fernandes’ wins came in 2020, 2021, 2024, and now 2025.This achievement places him among the club's most revered players in history, with only a handful of legends like Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Brian McClair, Wayne Rooney, and Ruud van Nistelrooy having multiple Player of the Year awards to their name.Before his move to Manchester United in January 2020, Bruno Fernandes had already established himself as a top player at Sporting CP in Portugal. Over a two-and-a-half-year spell with the Lisbon club, he was a key figure, scoring 64 goals and providing 50 assists in just 137 appearances. His outstanding form at Sporting helped to secure his high-profile move to Old Trafford, where he quickly became an indispensable part of the team. Fernandes’ early success at United, including his three previous Player of the Year awards, solidified his status as one of the club's most influential players of the post-Ferguson era.Traditionally, Manchester United hosts a grand end-of-season awards ceremony at Old Trafford, where the club’s best performers from the men's, women's, and youth teams are honored. However, due to the club’s underwhelming season and internal changes, United’s management opted to cancel the formal awards dinner this year. Instead, it’s expected that the awards will be handed out on the pitch before the final game of the season against Aston Villa.This decision drew some criticism, particularly because of the women’s team's successful season, securing a top-four finish in the league and reaching the FA Cup final. Additionally, it prevented the club’s youth players, such as Harry Amass, from being honored in the traditional manner. Despite this, Fernandes will still receive his individual accolade, cementing his place in Manchester United’s storied history.Amid his remarkable year, Fernandes has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Hilal reportedly preparing a significant offer. However, United’s stance is clear: they have no intention of letting their talisman go. Fernandes has already signed a contract extension keeping him at the club until 2027, and manager Ruben Amorim has publicly rejected any suggestion of his departure.