*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:35, 6 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:45, 12 October 2024 (UTC)
Born in Maia, Porto, Fernandes started his career at Italian Serie B side Novara but soon made a move to Serie A side Udinese in 2013, followed by Sampdoria three years later. After five years in Italy, he signed with Sporting CP in 2017. He won back-to-back Taças da Liga in 2018 and 2019, as well as the Taça de Portugal, leading to him being named in the Primeira Liga Team of the Year and Primeira Liga Player of the Year in both seasons. In 2018–19, he scored a record of 33 goals in all competitions, making him the highest-scoring Portuguese midfielder and the highest-scoring midfielder in Europe in a single season. In January 2020, Fernandes signed with Manchester United for an initial €55 million (£47 million), becoming at the time, the second-highest fee for a Portuguese player leaving the domestic league.
Fernandes was born in Maia, Metropolitan Area of Porto. Growing up, he supported Boavista and Manchester United.[4] During his childhood, Fernandes used to play football on the streets with his older brother Ricardo, who was also a professional football player.[5] His father, who had emigrated to Switzerland, wanted Fernandes to move with him, but he refused, due to the standard of Swiss football at the time.[6][7]
Fernandes began his youth career at local club Infesta. Growing up, Fernandes was offered a youth contract at Porto's academy, but he went to local rivals Boavista, who offered him transportation to training, with his parents being unable to take him to Porto on daily basis.[6]Fernandes played most of his youth football with Boavista, starting his career as a centre-back, before being converted to an attacking midfielderat the age of 15, following a loan to Pasteleira.[6][7]
On 27 August 2012, he joined Novara in Italy.[8]Fernandes initially struggled in his new life in Italy, after suffering from homesickness and also had problems learning Italian. After his girlfriend moved to Italy, Fernandes quickly learned the language and began settling in the country, being nicknamed the "Maradona of Novara" and the "Mini Rui Costa".[7] After only a few weeks with the youth sides, Fernandes was promoted to the first team in Serie B, and went on to appear in slightly more than half of the league games during the 2012–13 season, helping his team to fifth place and the promotion play-offs.[9]
In summer 2013, Serie A clubs Inter Milan and Juventus wanted to sign him, but instead, Fernandes decided to sign for Udinese in a co-ownership deal, who promised him first-team opportunities.[10] He made his debut in Serie A on 3 November, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–3 home loss against Inter Milan.[11] Fernandes scored his first league goal on 7 December, in a 3–3 draw at Napoli.[12] He scored again in the second match between the sides in a 1–1 draw.[13]
On 16 August 2016, Fernandes moved to Sampdoria on loan with an obligation to be signed permanently.[14][15] He made his league debut twelve days later, playing six minutes in a 2–1 home win over Atalanta.[16] Fernandes scored his first goal for his new team on 26 September, in a 1–2 away loss to Cagliari.[17] He scored 5 goals in 33 Serie A appearances during the campaign,[18]helping them to finish in tenth position.[19]
On 15 May 2018, Fernandes and several of his teammates, including coaches, were injured following an attack by around 50 Sporting supporters at the club's training ground after the team finished third in the league and missed out on Champions League qualification.[26][27]Despite the events, the team agreed to play in the final of the Taça de Portugal scheduled for the following weekend,[28] eventually losing to Desportivo das Aves.[29] Fernandes was named the Primeira Liga Player of the Year on 6 July.[30]Four days later he signed a new five-year contract with a €100 million release clause,[31] having turned back on his original decision to leave the Estádio José Alvalade following the departure of club president Bruno de Carvalho, and being given an improved salary in the process.[32]
Fernandes scored his 23rd competitive goal of the 2018–19 campaign during a 3–1 home win against Portimonense on 3 March 2019, through a late penalty, surpassing António Oliveira's club record for goals by a midfielder in a season, set in 1981–82.[33] On 5 May, he scored a hat-trick in an 8–1 away rout of Belenenses SAD, in the process becoming the highest-scoring Portuguese midfielder in a single season of all time, with 31 goals to his name.[34] He scored his 33rd and final goal of the season on 25 May 2019, during Sporting's victory against Porto in the Taça de Portugal final.[35][36] He was named Primeira Liga Player of the Year for the second successive year for his performances in the 2018–19 season.[37]
He scored seven goals in his first 10 appearances of the 2019–20 season, including a run of scoring in six consecutive appearances.[38] This made him the third Sporting player in the 21st century to score in six or more consecutive appearances for the club, after Mário Jardel and Bas Dost.[39] On 28 November, he scored twice and assisted the other two goals in a 4–0 victory over PSV Eindhoven, which guaranteed Sporting qualification to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.[40]
On 29 January 2020, English club Manchester United confirmed they had reached an agreement with Sporting for the transfer of Fernandes for a fee reportedly worth up to €80 million (£67.6 million),[41] subject to the player passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.[42] The transfer was officially completed the following day, for an initial fee of around €55 million (£47 million),[43] plus up to €25 million (£21 million) in add-ons and 10% of the profits should United ever sell Fernandes.[44] Fernandes signed a five-and-a-half-year contract.[45]
He made his debut on 1 February, playing the full 90 minutes of a goalless draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.[46] In Manchester United's 2–0 away win over Chelsea on 17 February, he provided an assist for the second goal, a header from Harry Maguire.[47] Fernandes came on as a late substitute for Manchester United against Club Brugge in a 1–1 draw on his European debut for the club.[48] He scored his first goal for Manchester United against Watfordon 23 February, converting from the penalty spot in an eventual 3–0 victory at Old Trafford, a match in which he also provided an assist for the third goal scored by Mason Greenwood.[49] His first European goal for the club came in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie against Club Brugge at Old Trafford, in which he scored a penalty, helping them to a 5–0 victory.[50] On 16 March, Fernandes was voted as the Premier League Player of the Month for February.[51]
On 30 June, Fernandes scored his first brace for the club in a 3–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.[52] For his performances in June, he won multiple club and Premier League awards, including Premier League Player of the Month and Goal of the Month, becoming the first player to win both awards concurrently in Premier League history.[53][54] He also became the first Manchester United player to win back to back Premier League Player of the Month awards since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2006–07 season.[55] In September, Fernandes was named as the winner of Manchester United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, given to the club's best player from the previous season.[56]
2020–2021: Individual success and Europa League final
On 26 September, Fernandes scored his first goal of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion in the 100th minute of a 3–2 win at the Amex Stadium; it was one of the latest goals in Premier League history, and came after referee Chris Kavanagh had blown the final whistle, before a video assistant referee awarded United a penalty which Fernandes converted.[57] On 7 November, Fernandes scored a brace and provided an assist against Everton to secure a 3–1 away win.[58] He was named Premier League Player of the Month for November in recognition of his four goals and one assist that month,[59] and again in December after scoring three goals and providing four assists in that month, becoming the first player to win the award four times in a single calendar year.[60][61] He scored one goal and made two assists in United's Premier League record-equalling 9–0home win against Southampton on 2 February 2021.[62] He finished third in terms of top goalscorers in the league with 18 goals and second among the top assist providers with 12.[63]
In April, a day after Manchester United had announced their plan to quit the UEFA Champions League to join the European Super League along with 11 other clubs, Fernandes became the first potential European Super League player to comment on this, stating his disapproval: "Dreams can't be [bought]."[64][65] By the next day, Manchester United withdrew from the European Super League, which was also announced to be "suspended" that day, amid a backlash from players, managers, football institutions, politicians, fans and the media.[66][67] On 29 April, he scored twice and assisted two more goals in a 6–2 home win over Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals;[68] and provided an assist in a 3–2 defeat in the return leg, which allowed United to advance to the final 8–5 on aggregate.[69] On 18 May, he was named as the winner of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the second successive season.[70] On 26 May, Manchester United drew 1–1 against Villarreal after extra-time, in the Europa League Final, but eventually lost on penalties, despite Fernandes netting his spot kick in the shoot-out.[71]
On 14 August, in the opening match of the Premier League season, Fernandes scored a hat-trick against Leeds United in a 5–1 win.[72] He then scored in the team's next home game against Newcastle United,[73] before missing a last minute penalty against Aston Villa two weeks later that would have salvaged a 1–1 draw.[74] He later posted an apology for his penalty miss on Instagram.[75] On 23 November, Fernandes provided an assist for Jadon Sancho in United's 2–0 victory away against Villarreal in the Champions League, to ensure his team qualification to the round of 16, becoming the first player to provide an assist in five consecutive matches of a Champions League campaign for an English club.[76] On 2 December, Fernandes made his 100th appearance for the club, opening the scoring in United's 3–2 home win over rivalsArsenal at Old Trafford.[77]
On 1 April 2022, Fernandes signed a new contract which would keep him at Manchester United until June 2026, with the option of a further year.[78]On 2 May, he scored his 50th goal for Manchester United in the club's 3–0 home win over Brentford.[79] His performances declined during the season, with Fernandes alongside his teammates struggling and under-performing and with United supporters becoming increasingly frustrated by Fernandes' complaints to referees during matches, and with the club finishing a disappointing sixth place, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League, despite Fernandes being the top assist provider in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, with seven assists in total.[80][81]
On 1 July, Manchester United announced that they had changed Fernandes' squad number from 18 to his preferred number 8, the same number he wore during his time for Sporting CP and as a tribute to his birth date and his father, upon the departure of Juan Mata, after his contract expired.[82] Fernandes scored his first goal of the season on 27 August in a 1–0 away win against Southampton.[83]
On 3 January 2023, Fernandes made his 150th appearance for the club, assisting Marcus Rashford's goal in United's 3–0 home win over Bournemouth.[84] Two weeks later, he was instrumental in United's 2–1 comeback win over Manchester City in the Manchester derby, scoring a goal that was part of the build-up play for United's controversial equaliser despite Rashford being in an offside position, helping United to extend their winning run to nine in all competitions.[85] On 18 January, Fernandes scored in a 1–1 away draw to Crystal Palace, registering his 100th goal contribution for the club. He also became the Manchester United midfielder with the second most goal contributions in the Premier League, only behind Paul Scholes.[86] On 26 February, Fernandes started in the 2023 EFL Cup final as Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2–0 at Wembley Stadium, winning his first trophy with the club.[87]
Fernandes created the most chances (119) in the 2022–23 Premier League, the highest on record since 2003–04 by a Manchester United player in a single campaign. United qualified for the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League after securing a third-place finish in the Premier League.[88] In the 2023 FA Cup final, Fernandes equalised for United through a penalty in an eventual 2–1 defeat to local rivals Manchester City.[89][90]
On 20 July, Fernandes was named as Harry Maguire's replacement as club captain.[91] On 26 August, Fernandes scored his first goal of the season, netting a penalty, and also assisting Casemiro in a 3–2 comeback win over Nottingham Forest.[92] The following months, United endured a difficult start to the season, most notably in the Premier League and Champions League, finishing last in their group.[93] Fernandes' captaincy came under scrutiny, despite being the football player who played the most minutes in world football, with 72 games and 6,666 minutes dating from 15 September 2022 to 2023.[94][95][96]
In January 2024, during the winter transfer window, Fernandes was the recipient of a contract offer worth €100 million from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. If he had accepted the offer, he would have joined his national teammate Rúben Neves, as well as former manager Jorge Jesus, who was keen on signing him. However, the deal was eventually turned down by Fernandes, who felt he had unfinished business at United, stating that he was "happy [...] focused on Man United".[97][98]
On 7 April, he scored his 50th Premier League goal from 50 yards (46 m) in a 2–2 draw against United's arch rivalsLiverpool at Old Trafford.[99][100] He was then named Manchester United Player of the Month for April after scoring seven goals in six appearances that month.[101] On 23 May, Fernandes won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year, becoming a three-time recipient of the award.[102] In the 2024 FA Cup final against local rivals Manchester City, Fernandes assisted Kobbie Mainoo's goal in an eventual 2–1 win for United, winning his second trophy with the club and his first as club captain.[103] After the match, pundit and former United midfielder Roy Keane praised Fernandes: "I've been critical of Bruno over the years, but I've been proven wrong, his leadership was outstanding. I've always mentioned how brilliant he is as a player."[104] In July, Fernandes was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with two clubs in the Saudi Pro League interested in him,[105] but these rumors were dispelled in August when his contract with Manchester United was extended to 30 June 2027.[106]
On 29 September, Fernandes was sent off for a high challenge onJames Maddisonin United's 3–0 loss toTottenham Hotspurat Old Trafford.[107]However, on 1 October, the red card was overturned byThe Football Association, following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal by the referee.[108]On 3 October, he was sent off for the second time in five days when he received two yellow cards in a 3–3 draw withFC Portoin theUEFA Europa League.[109]This made him the first Manchester United player to be sent off in consecutive matches sinceEric Cantonain March 1994.[110]
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Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes
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