Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is keen to see attention directed towards the team’s collective progress, rather than his own standout performances.
The Portugal international was lauded for his excellent displays, despite a disastrous campaign by the Red Devils in the 2024-25 season.
Ruben Amorim’s side recorded their worst league finish by points tally and position since the 1973-74 season, as they ended with 42 points in 15th place on the English Premier League standings.
Fernandes, 30, ended the season with 38 goal contributions in all competitions and his outstanding performances earned him a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year award.
“I hope you’ll hear less about Bruno this year, but a lot more about United,” Fernandes said in an interview.
“That’s my main objective because my name being spoken, let’s say vaguely alone, It doesn’t fill me with pride or anything.
United being talked about, being positive, that’s the most important thing and that’s what I want for this season”, he continued.
“If it happens that Bruno has to score fewer goals, provide less assists or do another type of provision of what is necessary for the games, I would be very happy.”
Manchester United have bolstered their squad this summer with key signings like Mattheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko and they’re also eyeing Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as potential midfield additions.
Bruno considered a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia earlier in the summer, but committed to Man United instead.
“Every year that I stayed here, every time the season begins, I see this [positivity],” Fernandes said.
“I believe that it could be a time of change, where we can do something better.
Probably my first two seasons were very good, where we really believed that we could go further and do better things. We had a very good season with Erik [Ten Hag] in his first season, then in the second season it wasn’t so good”, the Portuguese added.
“Obviously, now people have joined the club, not just the players, but also staff and management, who have a different vision.
I hope that all these changes and everything that we have done can bring the club back to the place where it really deserves to be.”
Manchester United kickstart their 2025-26 EPL campaign with a tough task at home against Arsenal on Sunday, hoping to improve on last season’s showings.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
