Premier League awards: Bruno Fernandes conquers as Liverpool star name | Football | Sport
Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandes have been the two Player of the Season frontrunners (Image: Getty)
The 2025-26 Premier League is consigned to the history books after coming to a close on Sunday. Arsenal were crowned champions while arch rivals Tottenham avoided relegation with West Ham instead suffering the dreaded drop down to the Championship. Elsewhere, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes managed his 21st assist of the season – despite debate whether it should be an own goal and the assist therefore removed.
The United playmaker and Arsenal midfield powerhouse Declan Rice were the two main frontrunners for the Player of the Season award – but that’s not the only award we’re handing out. Scroll down to find out who we’ve named the best player, the best young player, the best manager, the biggest flop of the season and more…
Player of the Season: Bruno Fernandes
Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly
Manager of the Season: Regis Le Bris
Team of the Season: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; B Fernandes, Semenyo; Haaland, Igor Thiago
Signing of the Season: Granit Xhaka
Flop of the Season: Florian Wirtz
Yes a lot of his assists were set-pieces but just look at the chances created stats – Bruno is miles clear of everyone else. He beats Declan Rice for me. Plenty of options for the manager but I predicted Sunderland to go down so that means it has to be Le Bris. What a brilliant buy Xhaka was – take him out and they simply do not get Europe. And Wirtz I expected way more from. Hasn’t looked up for the fight and just about beats Cole Palmer to the award nobody wants.
Nico O’Reilly is a popular Young Player of the Season pick (Image: Getty)
Player of the Season: Antoine Semenyo
Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly
Manager of the Season: Unai Emery
Team of the Season: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, O’Reilly; E. Anderson, Szoboszlai, B. Silva; Semenyo, Haaland, Kroupi
Signing of the Season: Eli Junior Kroupi
Flop of the Season: Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal will get the majority of the plaudits, of course, but Bournemouth, for me, are one of the standouts of the season. After selling almost all of their defence last summer and star forward Antoine Semenyo in January, many would have forgiven them if they had a mediocre campaign of rebuilding. Instead, Andoni Iraola guided the Cherries to Europe for the first time in the club’s history, and that is a massive achievement.
Regis Le Bris had a brilliant season as Sunderland manager (Image: Getty)
Player of the Season: Bruno Fernandes
Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly
Manager of the Season: Regis Le Bris
Team of the Season: Raya; Szoboszlai, Guehi, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Semenyo, Fernandes; Haaland, Thiago
Signing of the Season: Senne Lammens
Flop of the Season: Liverpool
The best player doesn’t have to be from the best team and Bruno put United on his back plenty of times this season. In terms of improving a position, the arrival of Lammens can’t be rivalled. Liverpool as a whole were a complete and utter let down, but it would feel harsh to omit Szoboszlai from the TOTS, so he gets in at RB in an unconventional formation to fit the genuine best XI in. And Regis Le Bris deserves his plaudits after gelling countless signings for a campaign no Sunderland fan could’ve dreamt of.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Player of the Season: Declan Rice
Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly
Manager of the Season: Regis Le Bris
Team of the Season: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Fernandes, Xhaka; Semenyo, Haaland, Igor Thiago
Signing of the Season: Granit Xhaka
Flop of the Season: Newcastle United
Declan Rice has to be the player of the season for me. He may not get the goal contributions Bruno Fernandes has this season, but he’s a Premier League winner! It would be a mistake not to mention the brilliant job Regis Le Bris has done at Sunderland. They started the season as favourites for relegation and defied the odds to qualify for the Europa League! Granit Xhaka’s arrival in the summer played a huge part in that success, and he’s undoubtedly the best signing this season. As for the biggest flops, it has to go to Newcastle United, given their success last season. Their domestic campaign has been a disaster; having won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League, they’ve gone backwards despite many predicting they’d kick on.
Antoine Semenyo had a strong season for both Bournemouth and Man City (Image: Getty)
Player of the Season: Bruno Fernandes
Young Player of the Season: Eli Junior Kroupi
Manager of the Season: Andoni Iraola
Signing of the Season: Rayan Cherki
Flop of the Season: Florian Wirtz
I know it may look as though I have a real love for Bournemouth, and maybe I do, but it is only because they’re so fun to watch. To be 19 years old and make the impact Eli Kroupi Jr has, it really is hard not to look past his 13 goals this season. Losing your best player mid-season is also far from straightforward to recover from, and yet under Andoni Iraola, they did not lose one Premier League game and that takes some doing in England.
Player of the Season: Bruno Fernandes
Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly
Manager of the Season: Unai Emery
Team of the Season: Roefs; Szoboszlai, Saliba, Gabriel, O’Reilly; Rice, Casemiro; B Fernandes, Semenyo; Haaland, Doku
Signing of the Season: Robin Roefs
Flop of the Season: Florian Wirtz
I imagine most of the surprises come in the TOTS, and I shocked myself by picking three City attackers. But player-for-player, they have each been the best in their positions this season, and had there been a ‘Most Improved’ award, it would have gone to Jeremy Doku. He won over Pep Guardiola and finally added the end product that has turned him into a world-class winger. Unai Emery just gets the nod over Regis Le Bris for Manager of the Season because we’ve seen so often teams fall apart domestically while they’re in Europe. And Villa have excelled in both. Robin Roefs single-handedly kept Sunderland in games they had no right to at times this season. Without him, they would have been nowhere near seventh place.
Florian Wirtz had a disappointing first season at Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Player of the Season: Bruno Fernandes
Young Player of the Season: Nico O’Reilly
Manager of the Season: Regis Le Bris
Team of the Season: Raya; Szoboszlai, Saliba, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Semenyo, Fernandes; Thiago, Haaland
Signing of the Season: Granit Xhaka
Flop of the Season: Liam Rosenior
There’s no looking past Bruno for the top prize, even if Roy Keane doesn’t agree. Le Bris can’t go unrecognised for the outstanding job he has done at the Stadium of Light and without Xhaka, they wouldn’t be preparing to play Europa League football next season. LinkedIn Liam’s short spell as Chelsea manager was a complete car crash and everybody connected with the club will want to forget about it as quickly as possible.
