Anthony Martial would be a more deserving winner of Manchester United’s Player of the Year award for 2019-20 than Bruno Fernandes, says Wes Brown.
The Red Devils found considerable value in a deal done during the January transfer window.
Fernandes hit the ground running in English football on the back of his move from Sporting CP and quickly became a talismanic presence for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
His efforts earned plenty of plaudits, with four Player of the Month awards landed at Old Trafford along the way.
The Portuguese was the undoubted star for United over the second half of the season, but plenty of offers impressed over the course of the entire campaign.
Martial fits into that category, with the France international posting a personal-best goal return of 23 through 48 appearances in all competitions.
Questions continue to be asked of whether he is a long-term option to fill a central striking berth for the Red Devils.
He has, however, justified the faith shown in him when given the No.9 shirt and Brown believes the 24-year-old would be a worthy winner of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award.
The former United defender told MUTV: “It’s going to be tough but I’m probably just going to go Anthony Martial.
“I thought he stepped up this season and I love it when he smiles because that means he’s scoring! We need to see more of that.
“If Bruno had maybe got here a little bit earlier, it would 100 per cent have been him. I’ll stick with my guns and say Anthony Martial.”
Martial did not win a monthly gong for United throughout the elongated 2019-20 campaign.
Fernandes took four of the last five prizes for the Red Devils, with Mason Greenwood the only man to snap his sequence.
Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay took the award on two occasions apiece, with Fred and Daniel James the others to get in on the act.
United have opened the voting for their Player of the Year, with Luke Shaw the current holder of that title.
David de Gea is the most decorated winner of the award, having taken it on four occasions during his time in Manchester, while Cristiano Ronaldo took top spot three times during his memorable spell at Old Trafford.