Bruno Fernandes is set to challenge for a second major individual honour this season, aiming to add the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year award to the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) accolade he claimed last month. The Manchester United captain features on a six-man shortlist heavily influenced by Arsenal’s Premier League-winning squad.

The shortlist includes Arsenal trio Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhães, and David Raya, alongside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki. Fernandes’ inclusion follows an outstanding campaign in which he set a new Premier League record with 21 assists, guiding Manchester United to a third-place finish. His performances earned him recognition from the FWA, and he now hopes his peers in the players’ union will acknowledge him similarly.

However, Fernandes faces stiff competition from Arsenal’s representatives, who played pivotal roles in one of the club’s most successful seasons in recent memory.

Rice, Gabriel, and Raya were instrumental as Mikel Arteta’s side ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title and advanced to the Champions League final, becoming the last English team standing in Europe’s elite competition.

Arsenal’s dominance was built on teamwork rather than individual brilliance, and the presence of three Gunners among the finalists highlights the scale of their collective achievement. Rice reaffirmed his status as one of the league’s finest midfielders, Gabriel anchored the division’s best defence, and Raya’s consistency in goal proved vital throughout the campaign.

The winners of the PFA awards will be revealed at the 53rd annual ceremony in Manchester on August 25.

PFA Men’s Player of the Year shortlist

Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal)

David Raya (Arsenal)

Declan Rice (Arsenal)

PFA Women’s Player of the Year shortlist

Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)

Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City)

Lauren James (Chelsea)

Jess Park (Manchester United)

Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

Bunny Shaw (Manchester City)

PFA Men’s Young Player of the Year shortlist

Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)

Max Dowman (Arsenal)

Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth)

Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)

Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool)

Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City)

PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year shortlist

Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City)

Veerle Buurman (Chelsea)

Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses)

Tōko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur)

Olivia Smith (Arsenal)

Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)