Vitinha says Man Utd have ‘one of the best players in the world’ but snubs Arsenal star

Vitinha has named Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes as one of the ‘top-four’ midfielders in the world but overlooked Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Fernandes is enjoying another impressive season at Old Trafford, scoring seven goals and providing 14 assists in 26 games.

The 31-year-old’s form has helped Manchester United climb back into the Champions League places after they finished just 15th last season.

Vitinha rates Fernandes as one of the best midfielders in the world alongside himself, Joao Neves and the player at the ‘top of the list’, Pedri.

Pedri, 23, has already won two La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophieswith Barcelona and the Euros with Spain.

Vitinha has enjoyed similar success at PSG, helping the French giants win three successive league titles and the club’s first Champions League last season.

Given his standing in the game, Vitinha is well-placed to rank some of his contemporaries and was asked by Canal 11 who he rates as the best midfielder in the world.

‘I would put Pedri at the top of the list,’ said Vitinha. ‘He is magical, it is spectacular to see him play. When you play against him, you understand him even better.

‘A top-three? I would go with Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes. They are both on either side of me and Pedri. So, I don’t have a top three but a top four.’

Arsenal’s Rice is perhaps a surprising omission from Vitinha’s list given his form for club and country over the past two years.

Vitinha's top-four midfielders

Pedri (Barcelona)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Joao Neves (PSG)

Vitinha (PSG)

The Gunners spent over £100m to sign Rice from West Ham in 2023 and the England star quickly repaid that huge transfer fee.

Rice has played all but one of Arsenal’s league games this season, helping Mikel Arteta’s side open up a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal’s aspirations are not just limited to the Premier League, however, with the Gunners still in contention of an unprecedented quadruple.

Gary Lineker believes Rice is one of the three candidates to win the Player of the Season award but says Fernandes is just ahead of the Arsenal star.

‘I think he’s the player of the season for me,’ the former England striker said on The Rest is Football podcast. ‘I know they’ll probably give it to someone that’s going to win something.

‘For me, it’s probably him or maybe Declan Rice if Arsenal go on and manage to clinch the title.

‘I suppose the only other one, if he came back and started banging in all the goals and won City the title, it might be Erling Haaland again.

‘But at the moment, for me, to do what he’s done this season… and he was still the standout player even when they were going through a rotten spell when they were really struggling under Ruben Amorim.

‘I think he’s got such a great footballing brain and technique. What a player, what a player!’

PSG, sitting four points clear at the top of Ligue 1, continue the defence of their Champions League trophy with a last-16 clash against Chelsea.

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