PFA announce Player and Young Player of the Year nominees

By Andrew Delaney, Reporter | 17 August 2023

The Professional Footballers' Association announce their nominees for the Player and Young Player of the Season awards, with Erling Haaland favourite to take both.

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) have announced their nominees for Player and Young Player of the Year.

Erling Haaland is the huge favourite to take both accolades after an incredible debut season in English football.

Not since Gareth Bale in 2013 has a player won both Player and Young Player of the Year, but 10 years on, that looks set to be emulated by the Norwegian striker.

The award, which takes into account performances from the 2022-23 season, will be handed out on August 29.

PFA Player of the Year nominees:
Erling Haaland – Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City
John Stones – Manchester City
Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
Bukayo Saka - Arsenal
Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur

PFA Young Player of the Year nominees:
Erling Haaland - Manchester City
Bukayo Saka - Arsenal
Gabriel Martinelli - Arsenal
Moises Caicedo – Brighton & Hove Albion
Evan Ferguson – Brighton & Hove Albion
Jacob Ramsey - Aston Villa

Haaland's 36-goal season in the Premier League broke the record for most strikes in one campaign, as Manchester City chased down Arsenal to claim a third consecutive title.

The goals of Haaland also helped City to a remarkable treble, netting a further 16 in cup competitions as the club claimed both the FA Cup and Champions League.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne celebrates with the trophy after winning the Premier League on May 21, 2023 © Reuters

Partner-in-crime Kevin De Bruyne has been nominated once again, and would be the first player ever to win the PFA POTY three times, after taking the accolade in 2020 and 2021.

The City duo are joined on the list by John Stones, who was a regular in the run-in, as City claimed all three crowns, with his shift into midfield a notable factor in their success.

Recently-departed Harry Kane also makes the list after another excellent season with Tottenham Hotspur.

Kane's tally of 30 goals was ultimately in vain as Spurs missed out on Europe, and he has since moved to German giants Bayern Munich.

There is plenty of Arsenal interest on both lists too, with captain Martin Odegaard included after guiding the Gunners on an impressive title challenge in which they narrowly fell short.

Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring for Arsenal on May 7, 2023 © Reuters

Bukayo Saka, like Haaland, has made both lists, with this being the fourth successive season in which he is up for YPOTY.

Not since Jack Wilshere in 2011 has an Arsenal player taken the Young Player award, but both he and teammate Gabriel Martinelli could, with the left-winger potentially becoming the first Brazilian ever to win it.

In the campaign where Brighton & Hove Albion reached Europe for the first time in their history, two of their breakout stars are on the young players list.

Moises Caicedo, who has recently joined Chelsea for a British-record fee of £115m, and Evan Ferguson have made it, along with Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey, who helped the Villans to Europa Conference League qualification, and England to the European Under-21 Championship title, despite injury in the quarter-finals.