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Bruno Fernandes has confessed that his collection of trophies at Manchester United has not matched the ambitions he had when he joined the club. Though the Portuguese star has lifted both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, he remains steadfast in his aim to guide the Red Devils back to the top of English football.

Fernandes reflects on his time at Old Trafford

The Manchester United captain admitted that he thought he would have accumulated more silverware by now. The 31-year-old, recently crowned Premier League Player of the Season, has two domestic titles to his name but continues to chase the biggest honours in the game.

“Obviously, I wanted to have won more; it wasn’t quite what I had expected for myself and for the club,” Fernandes told ESPN. “But I had very good times. We managed to reach some finals; some of them we won, others we didn’t. But my goal has always been to win the biggest competitions, and the Premier League is part of it. And I still have that dream in me, and I hope to achieve it.”

Pursuing Champions League success

Following a strong resurgence in the latter half of the 2025-26 season, Manchester United secured third place in the Premier League, earning a coveted return to the Champions League. For Fernandes, competing among Europe’s elite clubs is not only vital for United’s global stature but also crucial to his own ambitions as one of football’s top creative midfielders.

“Of course, being in the Champions League, it’s the most important competition, let’s say, the competition where you can play against the most important teams in the world, in Europe,” he added. “And it’s something that I want to do, and I want to be at that level to play against the best and show that I can be at their level.”

The Michael Carrick influence

A major reason for the renewed optimism at Old Trafford has been the arrival of Michael Carrick. The former United midfielder initially stepped in as interim manager after Ruben Amorim’s departure in January, before being offered the permanent position in May following an impressive run of 12 wins from 16 matches. Fernandes credited Carrick with restoring belief and direction to a squad that had been struggling for consistency.

“I think he brought a very positive energy to the team; he tried to be very positive because obviously we were in a moment of coaching transition, which is always a difficult time for the team,” Fernandes said. “He tried to be positive; obviously he brought new ideas and a different way of playing, which was also important for some players to find an escape to be protagonists again. And it’s been good, obviously, because the results demonstrate that too. We hope that we will continue to do so.”

Bruno Fernandes’ record-breaking legacy

Fernandes has etched his name into Premier League history by setting a new record for the most assists in a single season. The United skipper registered an incredible 21 assists during the 2025-26 campaign, surpassing the previous record of 20 held jointly by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (2002-03) and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne (2019-20). This achievement places him among the greatest playmakers in league history.

Since joining Manchester United in January 2020, the Portuguese midfielder has displayed remarkable consistency and endurance. He has made an impressive 327 appearances across all competitions, scoring 107 goals and providing 108 assists, contributing directly to 215 goals overall. Fernandes has firmly established himself as the creative heartbeat and inspirational leader of the Red Devils.