Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed an incredibly selfless stance ahead of the new 2025/26 season.
Fernandes shone for United in disastrous season
United endured a calamitous 2024/25 season that saw them finish a lowly 15th place in the Premier League – the club’s worst ever finish in more than five decades.
United attained a mere 42 points and finished the campaign with a -10 goal difference, having suffered an embarrassing 18 top-flight defeats. Things went from bad to worse for the Red Devils as a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final ended their hopes of sneaking into the Champions League through the back door.
However, Fernandes’ reputation only grew, with the playmaker regularly forced to step in as the team’s fire-fighter.
Often when in trouble, United looked to their skipper to bail them out and he would almost always oblige.
Fernandes registered an impressive 19 goals and 19 assists across all competitions. He was named United’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year.
The 30-year-old was also a contender for the PFA Player of the Year award alongside Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, Alexander Isak, Declan Rice and Cole Palmer.
If United are to taste success in 2025/26, Fernandes will likely be the key figure, though he has made it clear he would gladly sacrifice his personal numbers if it meant the team performed better.
Fernandes’ remarks on sacrificing himself
Fernandes told ESPN Brasil, “I hope you’ll hear less about Bruno this year, but a lot more about United. 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. 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.”
There is an air of optimism at United but Fernandes warned against being carried away, noting that there have been other false dawns at United over the years.
“Every year that I stayed here, every time the season begins, I see this [positivity]. 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.”
“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.”
Fernandes stressed that adding more goals is important, particularly after a goal-shy 2024/25 season, but so is improving the team’s defensive record.
“We have more goals in the team because we know that we didn’t score enough goals last year. But we also have to know that we have to defend better so as not to suffer as many goals as we conceded last year.”
“And when I say defend better, it’s not the defenders, but as a team. To know how to suffer, to know how to defend, to know the moments that are necessary to have everyone behind the ball, to have everyone to make recoveries, to have everyone react quickly when we lose it.”
United are back in action on Sunday when they take on Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Featured image Vincent Carchietta via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
