Man Utd star moves closer to Cristiano Ronaldo record as he collects end-of-season award

Bruno Fernandes has been voted as Manchester United’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season.

The Portugal international collects the award after his first full campaign as permanent captain, one that saw him score 15 goals in 47 appearances. Fernandes ended the season in fantastic form and provided 10 goal contributions in his last eight appearances.

In winning the award, which is voted for by fans, he moves behind David de Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time list of winners. The pair have claimed the annual award four times each, one more than Fernandes.

The 29-year-old moves ahead of Eric Cantona, Brian McClair, Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who have won the prize twice respectively. Fernandes last collected the trophy in 2020 and 2021, with Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford winning the accolade in the two intervening years. 

Fernandes earned 40 percent of the 2023/24 vote, ahead of international team-mate Diogo Dalot, who collected 20 percent of the votes cast but was selected as the Players’ Player of the Year. Kobbie Mainoo finished third in his breakthrough season, with Alejandro Garnacho in fourth place.

Despite Fernandes’ personal achievements, United’s campaign as a whole was less impressive and the team finished eighth - their lowest-ever position in a Premier League campaign.

As for Fernandes, ManchesterWorld understands he has grown frustrated with his own personal situation at Old Trafford. The former Sporting Lisbon star met senior officials earlier this month to seek clarity over his long-term future, with Fernandes among a number of senior players who have been less than impressed with Ineos’ communication since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a partial stake in the club was confirmed in February.

Fernandes feels he is worthy of a new long-term contract at Old Trafford on wages that would see him become the highest-paid player. That looks unlikely, given Ineos’ approach of lowering overall spending on salaries, but the midfielder is not expected to leave in the upcoming summer transfer window.