Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has admitted he wanted Declan Rice to join them instead of Arsenal, as the pair compete for end-of-season individual awards in 2025/26.
Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandes are in competition for the various individual awards in 2025/26, with Fernandes already having received the FWA’s Footballer of the Year award, and both players nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Season award.
Speaking after receiving his FWA award, Fernandes told Joel Beya that he has a lot of respect for Rice, and that he actually hoped the Arsenal midfielder might join Manchester United instead of the Gunners.
“I admire him a lot,” Fernandes admitted. “First of all as a person, because I knew him from the Algarve, when we were training together and everything.
“I’ve always said, I always thought that [Declan] Rice was a player to play for Man United. I was really sad when he chose to go to Arsenal. I didn’t know if there was the opportunity or the chance for him to come to Manchester United, but I always thought that he would be a perfect fit for our club.
“Not [just] for the player he is, but as I said before, for the person he is, for the professional he showed me that he is, and for his personality. I think what he has been doing this season is great.
“He’s been one of the standout players from the Premier League this season.”
Fernandes also admitted in his interview that it’s not as easy for someone like Rice to pick up these individual awards, because the decisions are often ultimately made on goal and assist statistics.
Whilst Rice has 11 Premier League goals and assists for Arsenal this season so far – a very respectable total given his position – Fernandes has 27. His more attacking role for Manchester United has given him the edge on that front, something he makes no attempt to deny.
“Numbers have a lot of weight in the decisions,” Fernandes said. “I think I had a brilliant season and I could add that to my game. Obviously, for Dec it’s more difficult for him to get that, because he plays a little bit deeper.
“Still, I think he’s an amazing player, and if he had got this award I would have messaged him and said congratulations, as I did when he got into the final of the Champions League.”
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