- Joao Neves names Manchester United star as his best player
- Fernandes is excelling this season
- Who else did the Portuguese name?
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Joao Neves has named fellow countryman Bruno Fernandes as the best player in the Premier League.
In a video posted by MVPS.com on TikTok, Neves selected the standout player across nine different leagues, as well as for the Portuguese national team.
Fernandes came first, before Neves named Pedri for La Liga, Ousmane Dembele for Ligue 1, Rafael Leao for Serie A, Joshua Kimmich for the Bundesliga, Antonio Silva for the Primeira Liga, Rafa Silva for the Turkish Super League, Joao Felix for the Saudi Pro League, and Lionel Messi for Major League Soccer—while backing himself for Portugal.
Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo was not included in Neves’ selections, despite being an option for both the Saudi Pro League and the national side.
Fernandes Impressing Portugal
There is no doubt that Fernandes is having one of his best years as a Manchester United player. No matter where he goes, everything he touches turns to gold.
Neves explained choosing him as the best in the English top-flight:
“My MVP in the Premier League is Bruno Fernandes. He scores a lot of goals and provides a lot of assists.”
Fernandes isn’t just impressing for United but also on international duty. After putting in a stellar performance in Portugal’s recent 2-0 win against the USA, Portuguese national newspaper Record wrote:
“Two assists and even more brilliance, once again. The captain was once again a beacon in the offensive transition, orchestrating the goals.“
They added:
“He galvanised his teammates in a sleepy first half and received enthusiasm from the substitutes in the second half. Furthermore, he had two shots on goal and contributed with a clearance, a blocked shot, and two ball recoveries. He was one of the few insatiable players in the friendlies against Mexico and the United States. He has the spirit of an idol and a captain.”
Portuguese newspaper A Bola were equally as impressed:
“He made his mark in the 8th minute, when he shot into the US penalty area and almost put Portugal ahead. It was the trigger for a great performance.”
Fernandes also added his sixth Premier League player of the month award for his performances in March. The Portuguese midfielder now sits level with his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, whose most recent award came during his second stint at Manchester United in April 2022.
That puts both players joint-second alongside Steven Gerrard, one behind the leading trio of Sergio Agüero, Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane.
With Kane now plying his trade at Bayern Munich, Aguero retired, and Salah set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, the path has opened slightly. Fernandes has a genuine chance to match—or even surpass—them.
Fernandes on Course For Historic Season
Where would Manchester United truly be without Fernandes? He has single-handedly delivered 26 points this season through goals and assists—a tally that matches Cristiano Ronaldo’s output in his 2007/08 Ballon d’Or campaign.
In 36 games for club and country since the start of the 2025/26 season, Fernandes has contributed to 32 goals and assists. But his impact stretches far beyond goals.
Since the 2017/18 season, only Lionel Messi, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohammed Salah, and Thomas Muller have had more big chances created than the midfield maestro.
The Portuguese maestro also has 16 Premier League assists this season. Four more would tie him level with Thierry Henry and De Bruyne, five would be enough to eclipse the pair.
