Paul Merson Backs Declan Rice Over Bruno Fernandes for PFA Player of the Year: ‘There Is No Debate’

Paul Merson has made his position clear on English football’s most closely watched individual award debate of the 2025/26 season, insisting that Declan Rice should claim the PFA Player of the Year ahead of Bruno Fernandes, who last week was named Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Player of the Year.

Merson, a former midfielder who represented both Chelsea and Arsenal during his playing career and now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, outlined his argument in his column for Sportskeeda. “There is a big debate across the country about who should win the PFA Player of the Year. But honestly, I don’t see a comparison between Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice,” he wrote. “Bruno plays once a week, while Rice carries Arsenal week in and week out in the Premier League and the Champions League. Don’t get me wrong, Fernandes is having a great season. But in my opinion, when it comes to Rice, there is no debate at all.”

Fernandes was awarded the FWA Player of the Year honour ahead of both Rice and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, recognising an impressive individual campaign for the United captain. Across 34 appearances, Fernandes has contributed eight goals and 19 assists — an output that played a significant role in securing the FWA vote from football journalists.

Rice’s numbers are less prolific in attack, with four goals and five assists in the Premier League, but Merson contends that raw output does not capture the full picture of the Arsenal midfielder’s influence. He described Rice as “the driving force” behind Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge and their run in the Champions League, pointing to the England international’s defensive work rate and progressive play as qualities that separate him from Fernandes in the broader context of the season.

The PFA Player of the Year is determined by a vote among professional players in England — a distinction that lends the award particular weight within the game, as it represents peer recognition rather than media or public opinion. Previous winners include Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, and Virgil van Dijk, with the award carrying considerable prestige as one of English football’s premier individual honours.

Rice, who joined Arsenal from West Ham United in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth a reported £105 million, has developed into one of the Premier League’s most complete central midfielders since his move to north London. His ability to contribute both defensively and in transition has been central to Arsenal’s sustained challenge across multiple competitions this season.

With the PFA award announcement still to come, the debate between Rice and Fernandes represents one of the most competitive individual honour races in recent Premier League seasons. Merson’s view reflects a broader argument made by Arsenal supporters and some analysts that consistency across all competitions should weigh heavily in the final reckoning — a standard that, in his assessment, Rice comfortably meets.