Bruno Fernandes one assist from Premier League record, credits deeper role for creative surge

Key facts

• Bruno Fernandes has 19 Premier League assists in 2025/26, one shy of the single-season record of 20 held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
• Fernandes has created 114 chances this season, nearly double the next player (Dominik Szoboszlai and Declan Rice on 61).
• He has 28 big chances created (Opta-defined), the most in the league.
• Ten of his 19 assists have come from set pieces (free-kicks and corners).
• Fernandes has combined with Matheus Cunha for a league-leading 19 chances.
• Manchester United have four Premier League games remaining: vs Liverpool, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Brighton.
• Fernandes rejected a 9 crore/week offer from Saudi Arabia, according to reports.
• Manchester United are confident a return to the Champions League will help retain Fernandes.

On the brink of history

Bruno Fernandes is one assist away from the Premier League single-season record. The Manchester United playmaker has 19 assists in the 2025/26 campaign, putting him level with the second-highest total ever and just one behind the joint record of 20 set by Thierry Henry (2002/03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019/20). Fernandes admitted the record is on his mind. “Of course, it’s on my mind, I won’t lie about that,” he told Gary Neville on Sky Sports. “In the beginning, it wasn’t. But I started coming closer and closer… now I’m just one away.” With four games left — against Liverpool, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Brighton — he is well placed to surpass the mark. At his current rate, he would finish on 22 assists.

A creative chasm

The numbers reveal a gulf between Fernandes and the rest of the Premier League. His 19 assists are nearly double the next highest, Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, who have 10 each. The gap is similarly wide for chances created: Fernandes has 114, while Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Arsenal’s Declan Rice are tied for second with 61. He also leads the league in Opta-defined big chances created with 28. His set-piece delivery has been a major factor — ten of his 19 assists have come from free-kicks and corners, compared to only two for Henry and three for De Bruyne in their record seasons. Yet Fernandes also ranks top for open-play chances created, underscoring his all-round creativity.

The deeper role that unlocked his game

Fernandes credits an early-season positional change for his assist surge. Under manager Ruben Amorim, he was deployed in a deeper midfield role before being restored to a more attacking position by Michael Carrick. That stint deeper, Fernandes says, changed his approach. “I think in the beginning of the season, playing a little bit deeper, made me have more through balls,” Fernandes explained. “When you are playing a little bit deeper, you have guys in front of you between the lines. It’s just about getting the ball through to them in the best possible way for them to have a shot.” The shift has also forged a telepathic partnership with Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian’s runs off the ball have combined perfectly with Fernandes’ searching passes, producing a league-leading 19 chances between them.

Amorim’s unintended upgrade

Ruben Amorim’s decision to play Fernandes in defensive midfield was widely seen as a mistake. But the Portuguese international has turned it into an advantage. “Amorim didn’t use Fernandes correctly; that’s not up for debate, but he unintentionally made him a more complete player,” one analysis noted. Fernandes has combined the best of both worlds: the vision of a No. 10 with the passing range of a deep-lying playmaker. The result is a player who creates chances from everywhere on the pitch, whether from set pieces, open play, or quick transitions.

Contract and future amid Champions League push

Fernandes’ future at Old Trafford has been a subject of speculation. Reports indicate he rejected a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia worth 9 crore per week. Manchester United are confident that securing a return to the UEFA Champions League will be enough to keep him at the club. United’s 2-1 win over Brentford, in which Fernandes assisted Benjamin Sesko’s breakaway goal, moved them closer to a top-four finish. The club believes Champions League qualification is a key factor in retaining their captain and creative heartbeat.

The final push

Fernandes faces Liverpool on Super Sunday needing one assist to equal the record. With games against Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Brighton to follow, he has every chance to claim the mark outright. Yet he insists he will not chase it artificially. “I won’t chase it,” he said. The record, if it comes, will be the natural culmination of a season in which he has been the Premier League’s most prolific creator by a wide margin.

The bottom line

• Bruno Fernandes has 19 Premier League assists in 2025/26, one shy of the record of 20 held by Henry and De Bruyne.
• He has created 114 chances, nearly double the next player, and leads in big chances created (28).
• Ten of his 19 assists have come from set pieces, but he also leads in open-play chances created.
• An early-season stint in a deeper midfield role under Ruben Amorim improved his through-ball game.
• Fernandes has formed a potent partnership with Matheus Cunha, combining for a league-high 19 chances.
• He rejected a massive Saudi offer, and Manchester United believe Champions League qualification will keep him at the club.