Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw have won the Professional Footballers' Associations men's and women's player of the year awards. Both were previously named the Football Writers' Association men's and women's footballers of the year for the 2025-26 season. Fernandes, who last season broke the record for the most assists in a single Premier League campaign with 21, is the first United player to win the award since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
It is a second win in three seasons for Shaw, who secured her third consecutive Women's Super League (WSL) golden boot with 21 goals as Man City were crowned champions. City defender Nico O'Reilly succeeds Morgan Rogers as men's young player of the year, with the versatile 21-year-old cementing his place in the starting XI. He contributed eight goal involvements (five goals) and nine clean sheets in 34 league outings, scoring twice, and was named player of the match as City beat Arsenal in the League Cup final.
Arsenal's Olivia Smith retained her crown as the women's young player of the year, becoming only the second player after England international Lauren Hemp, to win the award on multiple occasions. The Canada international, 22, scored 10 goals in all competitions after joining the Gunners for £1m last summer from Liverpool. Although it was another trophy-less campaign for Man United, Fernandes enjoyed individual success, surpassing Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry's record of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign.
Fernandes set up his side's opener on the final day of the season against Brighton – and scored their third – to finish 2025-26 with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 league outings. Man City's Rayan Cherki was the second-most prolific provider, with 12 assists. His haul helped United finish third and secure Champions League football.
In total, the 31-year-old scored nine goals and contributed 22 assists in 37 matches in all competitions. Fernandes, who joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, beat Arsenal trio Gabriel Magalhaes, David Raya, and Declan Rice and Man City attackers Cherki and Erling Haaland to the award. He is only the second Portuguese to be named player of the year, following back-to-back wins for former Man United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and 2008.
Shaw scored 21 goals in 22 appearances as Man City clinched their second WSL title. The Jamaica international registered hat-tricks against Aston Villa (four goals) and Tottenham and scored twice against West Ham on the final day of the season to become the first player to score 20 or more goals in three different WSL seasons. Shaw is the first player to win three WSL golden boots, moving clear of two-time winners Vivienne Miedema and Sam Kerr.
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