Fernandes Crowned FWA Footballer of the Year, But Rice Backers Cry Foul

Bruno Fernandes has claimed the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year gong, with former Manchester United defender Danny Simpson already tipping the Portuguese playmaker to follow it up with the PFA Player of the Year award.

The announcement came on Friday, recognising Fernandes' contributions across all competitions this season. The 31-year-old has notched eight goals and 20 assists across 34 matches for United in the 2025/26 campaign, showcasing his creative prowess despite a turbulent campaign at Old Trafford.

Fernandes' season has seen him shift between roles depending on management. Under Ruben Amorim, he operated in a deeper midfield position, but interim boss Michael Carrick has restored him to his preferred number 10 berth, where his natural talents have flourished.

The accolade marks a significant milestone for United, making Fernandes the first Red Devil to capture the FWA award since Wayne Rooney in 2010. Yet not everyone is celebrating the decision.

The Case for Rice

Arsenal journalist Charles Watts has voiced strong reservations about the voting outcome, arguing that Declan Rice merited the honour. Writing on X at 6:36pm on May 8, Watts highlighted Rice's exceptional consistency and trophy-hunting credentials.

"Bruno Fernandes is a wonderful player and has had an excellent season – in the Premier League," Watts noted. "If the Footballer of the Year award was a PL award, there could be few arguments about him winning."

However, Watts pointed to Rice's broader impact: the Arsenal midfielder has won 35 matches whilst Fernandes has played just 34, with Rice set to feature in significantly more games across the season. Additionally, Rice has accumulated player of the match accolades throughout Arsenal's Champions League run and remains instrumental to their title challenge with three league matches remaining.

Respected football writer Henry Winter similarly backed Rice for the award, voting for the Arsenal man at 6:38pm on May 8. Winter's reasoning centred on the pursuit of silverware: Rice's efforts to drive Arsenal towards both Premier League and Champions League glory represented the essence of what the award should recognise.

When questioned about prioritising Rice over Fernandes, Winter drew a parallel to his voting rationale in 1999 when he selected Peter Schmeichel despite Ginola's award win, citing the goalkeeper's role in United's Treble triumph. "It's about glory. It's about hunting down trophies," Winter explained.

Simpson's Prediction

Simpson, the 39-year-old ex-United full-back who lifted the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016, weighed in via Instagram, declaring: "Pfa player of the year next" in response to United's congratulatory post about Fernandes. The prediction suggests Fernandes could yet sweep the individual honours as the season concludes.