Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown chose the club’s top three players this season alongside Bruno Fernandes.The Portuguese playmaker was the ultimate best player this season, not only for Man Utd, but in the Premier League.Unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old dominated the end-of-the-season accolades, winning the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Men’s Footballer of the Year award, as well as the EA SPORTS Premier League Player of the Season.Wes Brown hails Casemiro after an exceptional campaignDue to his sensational exploits, Fernandes is the solitary choice when it comes to choosing Man Utd’s Player of the Year for 2025/26.Hence, we asked Brown to choose United’s second-best player, and he opted for Casemiro, while adding Harry Maguire and Senne Lammens as honourable mentions.“I would probably go Casemiro, then Harry Maguire, then Lammens,”  said the 2008 Champions League winner in his exclusive interview with Stretty News, in collaboration with Netbet World Cup betting odds.“Casemiro got a lot of stick last year. His age is coming up a bit, and we’ve all been there as ex-players. But I think this year he’s just shown, you know, he can go out on his own terms. He’s in the quality stage. He’s got some important goals, the most he’s ever scored in a season.Casemiro had already announced his exit at the end of the season since January. Despite receiving outpouring pleas to stay at MUFC for another year, the midfielder insisted the decision has been set in stone, and Brown believes the Brazilian knows what will be the best move for his career.“This guy’s won five Champions League titles. He knows what to do. It’s up to him whether he still wants to do it or not, but he knows what to do.“The full experience came out and he’s run himself into the ground, which is what, as a fan, any fan, you want to see.”Brown urges Man Utd to bring back John O’SheaBrown spent the majority of his playing career at Man Utd, playing alongside a host of legends and top stars, including Michael Carrick.While the latter has been confirmed as a permanent head coach with Jonny Evans a part of his crew, we asked Brown which other MUFC teammate the club should bring back to Carrington for a managerial or backroom role.The retired defender didn’t hesitate before picking John O’Shea, who currently serves as the Republic of Ireland assistant coach under the tutelage of head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson.“It has to be Jon O’Shea. I think, first of all, you have to be able to get on with people. He has very good experience now. I know he’s at the Irish first team. He’s got the iron set up. He’s had experience at Reading, a bit of the lower league division. But again, he’s won everything, knows what to do, got the right mentality and mindset. And obviously knows the club. “I think it’s important that as well, because not everyone can just roll into United and assume what’s going on straight away and how it’s been in the past. I think sometimes you have to forget about the past, but also remember how everyone got there and did stuff. And I just think it could be a good combination.”

Kobbie Mainoo reportedly rebuffed the chance to join Chelsea at the end of last season.According to Laurie Whitwell, the Blues looked to materialise their interest in the Manchester United starlet before 2025/2026 got underway, but the prospective transfer held no appeal for Mainoo. How Michael Carrick saved Manchester United’s season 🔺 Surveying players on best positions🔺 Connection all across Carrington🔺 Overriding questions on experience🔺 Board approval at ExCo in Monaco🔺 Other managers considered FREE to read ⬇️ #MUFChttps://t.co/nQu9iJrPjT — Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) May 24, 2026DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYMainoo has previously considered a future away from MUFCLittle did he know, he would go on to endure the most difficult five months of his senior career when the new campaign got underway.Want more Stretty News coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustFor his own peculiar reasoning, Ruben Amorim headed into what would’ve been his first full season at Old Trafford with the intention of Mainoo playing a reduced role.Amorim insisted that the youngster was directly vying with his skipper Bruno Fernandes for game time, as he was bizarrely being utilised in a deeper position. “I think the club couldn’t afford to lose a player like him” Burno Fernandes with nothing but praise for Kobbie Mainoo 🤝 pic.twitter.com/jTf3uZbw8K — Sky Sports (@SkySports) May 3, 2026After being an unused substitute for United’s opening two matches of the term, Mainoo pushed to leave in the final week of the transfer window, but saw his pleas fall on deaf ears amongst INEOS chiefs.Why Mainoo U-turned on his United futureThe Carrington graduate continued having to bide his time for the first half of the campaign until, to nobody’s surprise, United’s dismal showings and poor tactical setup resulted in Amorim being relieved of his duties at the beginning of January.By the time he was dismissed, Mainoo had not made a single Premier League start, which had prompted speculation that he would try to force a winter move.Thankfully for fans, Michael Carrick was appointed midway through the month and quickly corrected matters; he instantly restored the 21-year-old to the starting XI, where he stayed for the remainder of the campaign. Manager Appearances Starts Minutes played Amorim 11 0 212 Carrick 16 16 1,426 Mainoo’s record under each manager in 25/26 (Transfermarkt)In fact, Mainoo enjoyed such a revitalised run of form that he became the only current United player (along with the on-loan Marcus Rashford) to be named in England’s World Cup squad. Kobbie Mainoo rattles it in at the Stretford End! 💥 pic.twitter.com/3HDRLnyC4D — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 3, 2026It’ll be his second major tournament after playing at Euro 2024, as well as his first World Cup.Last month, the Stockport-born ace committed his future to his boyhood club by signing a five-year extension.

Andre Onana has sent a parting message to Trabzonspor ahead of his loan deal expiring in June.The goalkeeper took to X/Twitter to address supporters, saying: “Proud to be part of this family. Mission accomplished. All the best.” Proud to be part of this family. Mission accomplished. All the best. pic.twitter.com/lDZf4ag3Tp — Andre Onana (@AndreyOnana) May 24, 2026DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYHow has Onana fared on loan?It comes after Trabzonspor won the Turkish Cup last Friday night via a 2-1 win over Konyaspor and secured Europa League qualification while finishing third in the Super Lig.Want more Stretty News coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustOverall, it’s been a pretty respectable stint from the on-loan Manchester United man, which INEOS will be looking to capitalise on by negotiating a permanent summer move for him.Onana himself is said to be eyeing a surprise return to Old Trafford in hopes of reviving his Red Devils career, but it goes without saying that’s out of the realm of possibility from United’s perspective. Andre Onana plays in the Turkish Cup final on Friday night. After that it is a break before he plans to return to @ManUtd. https://t.co/mGVTyciYBY — Simon Stone (@sistoney67) May 19, 2026Onana will be one of several summer outgoingsUnited officials are delighted with how Senne Lammens has fared throughout his maiden term in M16, with the Belgian even finishing the campaign on a high following a stellar display and clean sheet against Brighton and Hove Albion yesterday. A dominant display from Senne Lammens 🧤 🔴 @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/IKcAEjr5NC — Premier League (@premierleague) May 9, 2026Onana and second-choice Altay Bayindir will be offloaded when the window opens to raise funds for a new shot-stopper to play second fiddle to Lammens and, presumably, be deployed in cup competitions.It would then allow Lammens to focus on the Premier League and the addition of the Champions League to the schedule in 2026/2027.No buy option was included in Onana’s agreement with Trabzonspor when he made the switch last September, so it remains to be seen if he will opt to continue in Turkey or try to find an alternative suitor elsewhere. Appearances Goals conceded Clean sheets 102 150 24 Onana’s record for United in all competitionsBayindir, on the other hand, has reportedly already finalised a deal with Besiktas to return to his homeland.

Michael Olise believes Bruno Fernandes is the best Portuguese player in the world right now – and he’s not wrong.The Bayern Munich starlet, formerly of Crystal Palace, was asked to name the best player from a list of countries.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYUnsurprisingly, he named Harry Kane for England, Lionel Messi for Argentina, Lamine Yamal for Spain, Joshua Kimmich for Germany and Fernandes for Portugal. 🎥｜Who is the best player per country right now? via fcbayernesports / IG pic.twitter.com/ndZl6Zz97a — Ni (@AllForOlise) May 24, 2026Why Fernandes is undoubtedly the best Portuguese player (by some distance)Fernandes etched his name into the top-flight history books once again yesterday.Want more Stretty News coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustHaving equalled the Premier League assist record by notching his 20th against Nottingham Forest a week prior, he set a new record of 21 when setting up Patrick Dorgu for Manchester United’s opener away to Brighton and Hove Albion. Patrick Dorgu with a wonderful header to give Manchester United the lead! And that’s a 21st Premier League assist for Bruno Fernandes 🫡 pic.twitter.com/KVeMyP9bhA — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 24, 2026It means he has overtaken attacking legends Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, and now sits atop the rankings with a milestone that’ll be incredibly difficult for any player to beat.What’s more, the skipper also added to his goal tally when netting United’s third of the game, overseeing a tremendous finish past Bart Verbruggen to rubber-stamp a comfortable three points on the road. Appearances Goals Assists 35 9 21 Fernandes sweeps personal accolades for 2025/2026Fernandes had already claimed the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Season award, the Premier League Player of the Season award and United’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award before his five-star display at the Amex, proving even further why he is the most worthy recipient of each accolade.It goes without saying that Portugal manager Roberto Martinez will be over the moon with how the midfielder has fared in the lead-up to the World Cup kicking off next month, where Fernandes will aim to play as pivotal a role for his nation as he has for United this term.