Despite Manchester United’s collective struggles this season, voting for the winner of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award was not straightforward.
Bruno Fernandes was crowned the recipient of the award for a third time, but he was not without competition. Diogo Dalot finished a respectable second while Kobbie Mainoo, after an impressive breakout season, scooped the final spot on the podium.
Had Dalot or Mainoo pipped Fernandes to the post, few could have expressed disapproval. Dalot was one of the most consistent performers in the squad and Mainoo’s sharp rise was nothing short of astounding.
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Both players, alongside Fernandes, will have ambitions of challenging for the individual honour again next season. They are all expected to survive this summer’s shake-up at Old Trafford, with Mainoo one of four names who have been etched on the club’s list of untouchables.
Portuguese duo Dalot and Fernandes have also made strong cases to bag places on that list, even if exits this summer are unlikely. Dalot chalked up 50 appearances this season just gone and Fernandes still managed to come up with 28 direct goal contributions (15 goals and 13 assists) in an underperforming team.
United have not ruled out the addition of a right-back this summer, but they have far more pressing matters to address before considering strengthening that department. Dalot is one of the club’s most consistent performers and has undoubtedly improved his all-round game since Erik ten Hag took charge in 2022.
Fernandes is surely United’s most important player. He is their architect-in-chief and his absence against both Crystal Palace and Arsenal last month highlighted just how much they miss him on the rare occasions he is unavailable.
Alongside Mainoo, Fernandes completes two thirds of United’s strongest midfield. He and Mainoo will both expect to be regular starters again next season regardless of who the manager is.
With Dalot, Mainoo and Fernandes all strong candidates to remain regular starters on the other side of the summer hiatus, the same should be said for goalkeeper Andre Onana and defender Lisandro Martinez. For all of United’s injury troubles this season, they missed the Argentine more than anyone, with Ten Hag regularly citing his absence.
His capabilities in possession and full-blooded style of play make him one of United’s most important operators. They will be desperate to keep him fit next season and find him a new centre-back partner following the exit of Raphael Varane.
United want to sign two centre-backs this summer and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is high up on their wish list. Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Juventus star Gleison Bremer are also heavily linked, as is Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice.
At the other end of the pitch, United are also planning to strengthen their attacking options. There is an argument for them to add fresh blood both out wide and through the middle.
However, Alejandro Garnacho’s tally of 10 goals and five assists, plus his run of 39 consecutive starts to end the season, put him in a position where he should be expecting to start most weeks. At the age of only 19, he blossomed this season, establishing himself as one of the very first names on the teamsheet.
The only question that should surround Garnacho is which side he should play on. He has equally flourished on both the right and left this season. United have been heavily linked with Michael Olise – who predominantly plays on the right – but Garnacho’s sharp rise and United’s preference to keep Marcus Rashford means signing Olise should not be the club’s very top priority.
Then they have Rasmus Hojlund, who ended his first season at Old Trafford with a very respectable 16 goals to his name. United invested up to £72million in him last year, with more than half an eye on the future. He’s only just getting started.
Hojlundshould retain his place as the club’s first-choice striker, although some added competition would not go amiss. They have been linked with a crop of strikers in recent weeks, but it is hard to envision Hojlund being demoted in the pecking order.
With Onana, Dalot, Martinez, Mainoo, Fernandes, Garnacho and Hojlund all in contention to remain starters next season, United may only have to plug a handful of gaps this summer. There is no questioning that United need new recruits, but they already have a foundation to build on.