Three Arsenal players have missed out on the PFA Player of the Year award after Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes won the vote for 2025/26.
Gabriel Magalhães, David Raya and Declan Rice were all included on the PFA’s six-player shortlist, alongside Fernandes, Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki.
The PFA confirmed Fernandes as the winner after votes were cast by fellow professional players.
Arsenal trio miss out on PFA Player of the Year
Fernandes recorded nine goals and a Premier League-record 21 assists as Manchester United recovered to finish third. His assist total moved him beyond the previous single-season benchmark shared by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, according to The Guardian.
The result leaves Arsenal without the leading individual men’s award despite winning their first Premier League title in 22 years.
Recognition still arrived across the wider selection. Raya, Gabriel and Rice were joined by William Saliba and Jurriën Timber in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, giving Arsenal more representatives than any other club.
Raya’s inclusion followed a 19-clean-sheet Golden Glove campaign, while Gabriel and Rice were rewarded for their influence on Mikel Arteta’s title-winning side.
Max Dowman was also shortlisted for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, but Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly took that prize.
Fernandes becomes the first Manchester United player to win the senior award since Wayne Rooney in 2009/10.
Arsenal’s Olivia Smith retains PFA Young Player of the Year
Arsenal’s Olivia Smith retains PFA Young Player of the Year
Arsenal PFA Team of the Year includes five title winners
Arsenal PFA Team of the Year includes five title winners