Bruno Fernandes says the priority at Manchester United is lifting the Premier League title again. The captain is driving a strong season, with United third ahead of facing Leeds United on Monday. Fernandes has eight league goals and 16 assists and is closing on the competition’s single-season assist record.
The 31-year-old already holds Manchester United’s best single-season assist mark in the Premier League era. Fernandes is now only four assists behind the overall league record of 20, jointly held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry. The midfielder’s current form under interim manager Michael Carrick has been central to United’s revival.
Fernandes underlined that the club’s ambitions match personal targets for the Premier League title. He told
The Sunday Times: "The expectation will always be that we [United] want to win the Premier League. I know people will think:'You go to get more money, better contracts'.No, you come to Man United because you want to win trophies.
"Money, you can get anywhere. A lot of clubs in the Premier League pay well, a lot of clubs in Italy andSpain pay you a lot. You come to this club because of the history, because of what you think you can achieve. " Fernandes believes the club’s tradition still attracts players who prioritise trophies and success.
Premier League football returns to Old Trafford on Monday. pic.twitter.com/3n5ED7wfiIManchester United (@ManUtd) April 12, 2026
Since arriving at Old Trafford in 2020, Fernandes has collected two major trophies with Manchester United. The midfielder helped secure the 2022-23 EFL Cup and added the FA Cup the following season. However, there have been setbacks in showpiece games, including Europa League final defeats in 2020-21 and 2024-25 and the 2023 FA Cup final loss.
Fernandes was linked with a financially attractive transfer to the Saudi Pro League during the last summer window. The captain has made clear that Manchester United remains the preferred destination, provided the club maintains high sporting aims. The focus, Fernandes stresses, is success on the pitch rather than financial gain.
That message is echoed in Fernandes’ demands when speaking with the club hierarchy about long-term plans. "What I always say to the club is you can't promise me I'm going to win the Premier League. That's impossible. But if you promise we're going to be competitivethat's all I need to know. Then it's on me to become the best version of myself, to help everyone around to become the best version of themselves, to then become the club we want to be. "
Across six seasons at Manchester United, Fernandes has become the creative focal point and now leads as captain. The current campaign, statistically, is among Fernandes’ strongest, driven by consistent league output and leadership influence. With Premier League football returning to Old Trafford against Leeds United, Fernandes heads a squad aiming to turn momentum, personal records and recent silverware into a renewed challenge for the title.
