What an incredible feat for Bruno Fernandes and perhaps the best moment of his Manchester United career to date.
No, he didn’t end up beating a certain Roy Keane, but the 31-year-old set a record with 21 assists in the Premier League in 2025/26, moving him past Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
Individual accolades are all well and good, of course, but it’s the big accolades that really matter, and they’re something Fernandes’s United career so far has been noticeably lacking.
With Michael Carrick in charge, stability seems to have returned to Old Trafford. Especially since the captain, who was the subject of much speculation a year ago, is poised to renew his contract.
Fernandes – PL record | ||
|---|---|---|
season | game | Goal (assist) |
25/26 | 35 | 9(21) |
24/25 | 36 | 8(10) |
23/24 | 35 | 10(8) |
22/23 | 37 | 8(8) |
21/22 | 36 | 10(6) |
20/21 | 37 | 18(12) |
19/20 | 14 | 8(7) |
The priority now is to build a winning team around the Portuguese genius, and that effort appears to be underway.
Manchester United begin contract negotiations with World Cup star
Elliott Anderson has left for Manchester City, while Matheus Fernandes has been snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur at his disposal, although he has spoken of his admiration for compatriot Bruno.
The signings of Matheus Cunha, Brian Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesco in 2025 suggest that United’s traction is still there, although they appear to have been blown away financially and have had a more difficult start to their current roster.
The focus has so far been on the midfield unit, but with Marcus Rashford expected to return to Manchester, the signing of a new left-winger is also on the agenda.
Whether or not the Briton leaves could have implications for a potential new appointment at the department, with journalist Ben Jacobs providing the latest information on INEOS’s pursuit of Crisencio Somerville.
The suggestion is that the Red Devils have begun club-to-club negotiations with West Ham United over a deal for the Dutchman, but the inquiry is said to be purely exploratory at this stage.
However, Barça avoided the chance to sign Rashford permanently, so a bid could materialize, depending on Rashford’s situation.
Somerville’s asking price is said to be around £50m.
Why signing with Somerville is the perfect fit for Fernandes
If Rashford remains at Old Trafford next season, there is every chance he will have the chance to rekindle his fruitful partnership with Fernandes. The two have often worked together over the past few years with devastating results.
Particularly under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, that counter-attacking side was built around Fernandes finding the Englishman in the space behind, and Rashford scored more goals in combination with the midfielder than any other player in his career to date (26).
The problem is that bringing the England striker back into the squad appears to be a bit of a risk, given how it ended 18 months ago when manager Reuben Amorim dropped Lassie after committing too many misdemeanors.
To be honest, he has already spent time in a United shirt and it is clear that Rashford’s priority would have been to return to the Camp Nou had the La Liga outfit not gone thick for Anthony Gordon.
So, bringing in Somerville as a new addition on the left flank would allow Fernandes to forge a new partnership with the terrifyingly talented Dutch international moving forward.
At the World Cup, for example, the 24-year-old scored two goals and provided two assists despite starting just two games for Ronald Koeman’s side, most notably scoring home from range in the group stage opener against Japan.
Comfortable playing on either flank, the Hammers’ star is a true treasure trove of tricks and a player who can stretch defenses with his incredible change of pace and athleticism.
Last season, for example, he ranked in the top 20% of players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues in terms of reception through balls (per 90), highlighting why he could be a player Fernandes can count on at the back.
At the moment, Matheus Cunha’s best work seems to be when he drops deep and gets on the ball, leaving Fernandes without an out-ball on the left.
Perhaps Rashford can provide that, but this is not the player who hit 30 goals in all competitions in 2022/23. Indeed, even during his excellent season in Catalonia, there was a clear regression in terms of his ball-carrying ability, averaging just 0.9 successful dribbles per game.
Somerville, on the other hand, averages 1.6 points in this regard for West Ham’s struggling side and represents a winger who relentlessly drives into opponents from both the left and right flanks.
Having power back on again should stretch the pitch and create space for Fernandes to flourish, potentially building on his recent 21-assist season under Carrick next term.
