The Manchester City captain has put pen to paper on a deal which keeps him at the Club until the summer of 2022, extending his stay at the Etihad Stadium into a ninth season.
During that time the Brazilian has proven himself to be one of the best defensive midfielders in world football and has played a pivotal role in what has been a hugely successful period for City.
With 350 appearances to his name, the 36-year-old has won 12 trophies, including four Premier Leagues and a record six League Cups.
Since assuming the captaincy last summer his leadership has proved invaluable and, with another season to look forward to, he remains firmly focused on using his wealth of experience to help Pep Guardiola’s side.
“In my head and my mind, the job is not done yet,” he said.
“And so that’s why I decided to stay here another year and try to help the team and the Club to achieve the goals that they’re looking for. In my point of view, we can do that, there’s still places to improve and to get those targets. And obviously, for me and for my family it’s a pleasure to stay in Manchester for one more year.
“If I can keep doing the same way, leading them inside the pitch, off the pitch, to help them to improve and get better and to perform better during the games, I would be the happiest person there.
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “Fernandinho’s contribution to Manchester City cannot be overstated.
“He is an outstanding footballer – one of the best in the world in his position – and an exemplary professional.
“Since he arrived in 2013, his attitude and consistency have been exceptional, and he has developed into one of our most influential players.
“He is our captain, our leader and it is a position he has excelled in. There are a number of talented young players in our squad and, therefore, it is vital we have somebody with Fernandinho’s knowledge and experience.
“He remains an important player for us and we are delighted he has committed to another year.”
Everyone at Manchester City congratulates Fernandinho on his new contact and wishes him the best of luck ahead of the new season.
Fernandinho: City’s Mr Reliable
Loved by the fans and lauded by his team-mates, Fernandinho is widely regarded as one of City’s best-ever signings.
The Brazilian was by no means a household name when he arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer of 2013, but his quality was evident from the get-go.
He played 46 times in his debut season and had an instant impact, with his energetic displays in midfield helping Manuel Pellegrini’s side claim a Premier League and League Cup double for the first time in the Club’s history.
It was a seamless transition from a player who had spent the bulk of his career in Ukraine and, having proven himself, he went on to make 93 appearances over the following two campaigns, scoring in our 2016 League Cup final victory over Liverpool to secure his third trophy in three seasons.
By this stage, Fernandinho’s status as an unsung hero was firmly established.
He was City’s Mr Reliable (and still is), whose defensive work enabled those in front of him to flourish, but he was undoubtedly a key figure and that was only enhanced by Guardiola’s arrival, under whom he became one of the finest defensive midfielders in the game.
It is a crucial role in the Catalan’s intricate system and Fernandinho has fulfilled it perfectly, with disciplined displays that provide protection to the back four whilst also instigating attacks.
He played 48 games during our Centurions season and was named in the PFA Team of the Year as City became the first men’s team in English football history to win all four domestic trophies in 2018-19, with his potent blend of outstanding technical ability, deep tactical understanding and a tireless work rate vital to our success.
In 2019-20 he proved himself a capable centre-half as his selfless team first mentality again came to the fore and it was therefore unsurprising when his team-mates voted him club captain last summer.
He has shone in the role.
In a season like no other, he was widely praised for his leadership and his decision to call a mid-season meeting to address a series of below-par performances was hailed as the turning point of the 2020-21 campaign by many of his team-mates.
On the pitch, he was equally influential, making a telling impact at the business end of the season as City reclaimed our Premier League crown and reached a first Champions League final, whilst he also wrote his name into English football’s history books alongside Sergio Aguero by winning a record sixth League Cup following our 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
In total, Fernandinho has played 350 times for City, scoring 24 goals.
City honours list
4 x Premier League (2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21)
6 x EFL Cup (2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21)
1 x FA Cup (2019)
1 x Community Shield (2018)
Season-by-season stats
2013-14
- Played: 46
- Goals: 5
- Assists: 5
- Honours: Premier League and League Cup
2014-15
- Played: 43
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 4
2015-16
- Played: 50
- Goals: 6
- Assists: 6
- Honours: League Cup
2016-17
- Played: 44
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 2
2017-18
- Played: 48
- Goals: 5
- Assists: 5
- Honours: Premier League, League Cup
2018-19
- Played: 42
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 3
- Honours: Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield
2019-20
- Played: 41
- Goals: 0
- Assists: 2
- Honours: League Cup, Community Shield
2020-21
- Played: 36
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 4
- Honours: Premier League, League Cup.
