It's no secret that Manchester United's January signing of Bruno Fernandes was one of the biggest game changers of 2020. 

The Portuguese playmaker has reinvigorated the Red Devils and offered a consistent source of world-class creativity that hadn't been seen since the Sir Alex Ferguson era. 

Now valued at £81m by Transfermarkt, Fernandes has started the 2020/21 season in fine form. 

The 26-year-old has racked up a whopping total of 14 goals and nine assists in just 23 outings and put himself in the conversation to be regarded as the best the Premier League has to offer. 

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, who won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award at the end of the 2019/20 season, is widely regarded as the division's best, but Fernandes is beginning to change a few opinions. 

And the former England striker Dean Ashton, whose career was cruelly ravaged by serious injuries, believes Fernandes has now surpassed De Bruyne. 

While speaking to talkSPORT, Ashton suggested that the Man United star's goal threat puts him above the Belgian. 

“I think Fernandes has already overtaken De Bruyne.

“You can see the difference when [Sergio] Aguero doesn’t play for Man City. You can see the difference in De Bruyne, in terms of he looks like a frustrated figure in a lot of the games.

“He’s still class, of course, as he’s got seven assists this season and the same as Bruno.

“It’s that goal tally I think that Fernandes brings you. That goal threat that’s the difference between him and Kevin De Bruyne and that’s why I’d pick him and why I think he’s gone ahead of him as, for me, the best player in the Premier League.”

It's hard to argue with Ashton's assessment.

De Bruyne hasn't quite managed to rediscover his scintillating 2019/20 form yet, though it's pertinent to note that his struggle has arrived amid a team-wide struggle for fluidity at City. 

Pep Guardiola's side had scored 39 goals after 14 games last season, but they have only managed to score 21 in the same number of fixtures this time round. 

Fernandes, meanwhile, has completely revolutionised United and provided first-class quality into a club that was dangerously sliding into the realms of mediocrity. 

For all of their perceived problems, United sit just three points off top with a game in hand on New Year's Day ahead of their clash with Aston Villa tonight. 

Fernandes' influence has underpinned the club's ascent towards the summit, so Ashton certainly has plenty of reason to justify his bold claim.