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Bruno Fernandes finished last season with more assists in a single Premier League campaign than any player in the competition’s history, a remarkable achievement for a player already firmly established as one of the division’s most creative midfielders.
His numbers have only improved as the seasons have gone by, rather than tapering off as some expected once he entered his 30s. Anyone checking Manchester United odds this season will find Fernandes central to almost every conversation about United’s attacking output.
Fernandes has been Manchester United’s most reliable creative outlet for several years now, but last season took his influence on the team to an entirely new level, one that will be difficult for even the division’s other elite midfielders to match.
A record breaking 2025-26 season
Fernandes registered 21 assists in 35 Premier League appearances last season, breaking the all-time record of 20 previously shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, with his 21st assist arriving on the final day against Brighton to confirm the milestone.
He added nine goals of his own and was named the division’s Player of the Season, while United’s overall improvement, finishing third after a 15th place campaign the year before, gave him forwards genuinely capable of finishing the chances he created.
Career numbers since joining from Sporting
Fernandes arrived from Sporting CP in January 2020 for an initial fee in the region of £47m and has gone on to win the FA Cup and EFL Cup with United, alongside domestic honours in Portugal before his move. He has taken on the captaincy at Old Trafford and become the club’s primary penalty taker, converting 55 of his 60 career spot kicks for a conversion rate above 91%.
For those following football betting odds markets on individual awards each season, Fernandes has been a fixture near the top of the assists charts for almost every year he has been at the club, regardless of where United have finished in the table.
What makes him such an effective player
Fernandes combines relentless work rate with genuine range as a passer, capable of picking out teammates with both short combination play and longer diagonal balls into space. His willingness to take on shooting and creative responsibility in equal measure, reflected in his high shot volume alongside his assist numbers, makes him difficult for opponents to plan around, since he poses a threat from open play, set pieces and the penalty spot alike.
That combination of end product and sheer workload across every phase of a match is rare even among the Premier League’s other elite creative midfielders.
Can he do it again this season
Repeating a record-breaking season is rarely straightforward, and Fernandes will need his supporting cast, particularly forwards like Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, to continue converting the chances he creates at a similar rate.
Age is also a factor to monitor, with Fernandes now past his 30th birthday, though his numbers last season showed no obvious sign of decline and, if anything, suggested a player getting better with age and experience.
If United’s improved form under Michael Carrick continues, Fernandes has every chance of extending his reputation as the Premier League’s most creative midfielder even further this season.