The art of the assist, long overshadowed by the glamour of goalscoring, has gained increasing recognition in recent years. As fans and analysts delve deeper into player contributions, the architects of attacking moves are finally receiving their due. Now, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes stands on the precipice of etching his name into Premier League history, threatening the single-season assist record. As of April 27, 2026, Fernandes has accumulated an impressive 19 assists in the ongoing 2025-26 Premier League season. His latest contribution came against Brentford, setting up Benjamin Sesko’s goal to move him within touching distance of the all-time record of 20. Remarkably, Fernandes has achieved this tally in just 24 games, overcoming a slow start that saw him fail to register an assist in his first seven league appearances of the campaign.

The elite 20-assist club

The coveted record of 20 assists in a single Premier League season has only been achieved twice in the competition’s history, a testament to its difficulty:

• Thierry Henry (2002-03): The Arsenal legend reached 20 assists in 37 games. His remarkable campaign also included 24 goals, bringing his total goal involvements to 44 – a joint record for a 38-game Premier League season.
• Kevin De Bruyne (2019-20): The Belgian maestro matched Henry’s feat in 35 appearances, showcasing his unparalleled creative prowess.

De Bruyne, in particular, has consistently demonstrated his playmaking brilliance. According to Opta Analyst, he boasts four of the 11 best Premier League campaigns for assists, further solidifying his status as one of the league’s premier creators. He also sits second in the competition’s all-time assist list, trailing only Ryan Giggs.

Other close contenders

While Fernandes hopes to join Henry and De Bruyne in the 20-assist club, several other players have come tantalizingly close to the record:

• Mesut Özil (2015-16): The German midfielder registered 19 assists in 35 top-flight appearances for Arsenal. A remarkable 16 of those came in his first 18 games of that season, surpassing his best tallies at Real Madrid.
• Mohamed Salah (2024-25): The Liverpool forward notched 18 assists last season, moving to that figure with a low cross for Luis Díaz’s opener against West Ham United on April 13, 2025. However, Salah was unable to add to his tally in Liverpool’s final six games of the campaign. His previous highest assist count was 13 in 2021-22.

Other notable campaigns include Frank Lampard’s 18 assists in 2004-05, a season where he also scored 13 goals, and Cesc Fàbregas’s 18 assists for Chelsea in 2014-15 from 34 league games. Fàbregas ranks third in the all-time Premier League assist list with 111, while Lampard is fifth. With games remaining in the 2025-26 season, all eyes will be on Bruno Fernandes as he aims to provide the crucial passes that could see him break one of the Premier League’s most prestigious individual records. Sources: theanalyst.com

Read also: FIFA introduces new red card rules for World Cup, targeting racism and player protests