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Man Utd reveal 2023/24 Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year winner

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  • Man Utd’s 2023/24 player of the year has been announced
  • Winner is voted for by fans and trophy named for Sir Matt Busby
  • Club cancelled annual award ceremony ahead of FA Cup final

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is the 2023/24 winner of the club’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, his third time in five seasons at Old Trafford.

Fernandes often stood alone in a difficult campaign for United that saw them slip to a record low eighth place Premier League finish, missing out on European football altogether for the first time in a decade unless they win this weekend’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.

The 29-year-old, handed the captaincy on a full-time basis last summer, scored 15 times in all competitions and registered a further 12 assists.

His previous Sir Matt Busby trophies have come in 2020 and 2021, with Marcus Rashford winning last year. Only David de Gea (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2004, 2007, 2008, 2022) have won the accolade, as voted for by fans, more often. Fernandes’ third gong takes him ahead of two-time winners Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Brian McClair.

Fellow Portuguese Diogo Dalot finished second in the voting, with Kobbie Mainoo in third place a matter of months after becoming a first-team regular, and Alejandro Garnacho fourth.

United would typically hand out the trophy at an annual awards ceremony, but opted to cancel the event after a disappointing season and to avoid distractions in the build-up of the FA Cup final. Unfortunately that meant the women’s team, who won the FA Cup for the first time, and successful boys and girls academy sides ended up being penalised.

Women’s player of the year was England star Ella Toone, who also jointly won the player’s player award alongside defender Maya Le Tissier. The men’s players’ player award went to Diogo Dalot.

There has been a sudden wave of speculation over Fernandes’ future in recent weeks, but the player himself made plain that it is wish to stay at Old Trafford, believing the clubs wants the same. He said the only thing that would change that is if he no longer felt wanted.

“I will be here till when the club wants me and the club wants me to be a part of the future. If for some reason they don’t want me, then I will go,” he told Sky Sports earlier this month.

Fernandes will lead United out at Wembley for the second year running this weekend.

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