Mata wants Bruno to be Premier League MVP

Speaking to MUTV at the art exhibition 'Football City, Art United', that he co-curated, the Spaniard admitted that he watched the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur from out in Australia, and was as upset as anybody when Ruben Amorim's side were beaten 1-0.

The popular midfielder, who is currently with Western Sydney Wanderers, is in regular touch with skipper Fernandes, the man who took on his no.8 shirt at Old Trafford.

The pair share a great friendship and Juan says he has attempted to help Bruno overcome the disappointment of last term.

Fernandes not only won our Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award but has also been nominated for the PFA prize and their Team of the Year.

After rejecting overtures from Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, the Portugal international is due back at Carrington next week to prepare for 2025/26 and Mata is convinced Bruno will be major influence again, as the Reds look to show vast improvement in the Premier League.

"Well, first of all, I hope that everyone can play good and everyone can bring the club to what I believe it deserves to be," Juan told us at Aviva Studios in central Manchester.

"Of course, it has been in a tough season and everyone was really excited about the [Europa League] final, which I watched from Australia, with the time difference. And I was as sad as everyone with the final result.

"But I think and I really hope that next season is going to be better," he declared, showing his affection for the club he served between 2014 and 2022. "I think the team is good. I think the coach has just barely arrived and I wish him the best.

"He is young, he has intensity and passion, and I hope he will do very, very well.

"And, of course, I love Bruno. We speak a lot and, you know, I’m trying to always be there for him. When you are winning and everything is going well, it is easy to be surrounding him. When things are not going well, is where I try to be there for him.

"So, I really hope that, next season, he scores 40 goals and he gets 40 assists, and is the MVP [most valuable player] of the league! And he can, you know, keep doing what he’s doing because I think he’s instrumental for the present and for the future of the club.”

While that may be a tall order in terms of goal involvements for our super skipper, he is closing on a century of goals for United.

He currently sits on 98, one behind legendary captain Bryan Robson, and will be out to add to that tally, starting in the season opener against Arsenal, at Old Trafford, on 17 August.