PFA young player of the year – Six nominations


 
 
 
 
 
 

The PFA young player of the year nominations have been announced.

This is of course for the 2023/24 season and the six who are up for the award are:

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Kobbie Mainoo (Man U), Alejandro Garnacho (Man U), Michael Olise (Crystal Palace and now Bayern Munich) and Joao Pedro (Brighton).

Just in case you were wondering why Anthony Gordon wasn’t considered…

The Wikipedia page explaining:

‘As of 2021, players must have been aged 21 or under as of 1 July immediately preceding the start of the season; in the past the age limit had been 23, which led to criticism in the media over whether a player who was 24 years old at the end of the season could really be considered “young” in footballing terms.’

Anthony Gordon was aged 22 on 1 July 2023, so I suppose on that basis, the only one of qualifying age who started plenty of games last season was Lewis Miley.

Hopefully another big season coming up from him once he recovers from injury. Other Newcastle United players who were 21 or under as at 1 July 2024, are the likes of Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall and Will Osula.

Newcastle United have actually had four previous PFA young player of the year winners:

Gazza (1987/88)

Andy Cole (1993/94)

Craig Bellamy (2001/02)

Jermaine Jenas (2002/03)

BBC Sport report – 12 August 2024:

‘Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer have been nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association men’s young player of the year award.

Saka, who won the award in 2022-23, is on the men’s six-player shortlist after the England international scored 16 goals and provided nine assists from the wing in the Premier League last season.

The award winners will be announced on Tuesday, 20 August.

England forward Palmer, 22, joined Chelsea from Manchester City on 1 September last year and enjoyed an excellent Premier League season as he contributed to 33 goals, scoring 22 times.

He and Saka, who is also 22 years old, then provided a youthful spark for England during their run to the Euro 2024 final.

Representing Manchester United on the PFA men’s shortlist are Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, the team’s FA Cup final goalscorers.

Midfielder Mainoo, 19, developed into an important part of Erik ten Hag’s first team and went on to feature in England’s Euros campaign.

Mainoo also scored the second goal against Manchester City as United won the FA Cup final 2-1 at Wembley in May.

Winger Garnacho, who got the first goal in the cup final, was a threat on both flanks for United last season as the 20-year-old Argentine forward scored 10 goals in all competitions.

Michael Olise, who moved from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich in the summer, is also on the PFA list.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 19 league appearances during 2023-24 before moving to Germany.

Brighton and Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro completes the nominees.

The Seagulls’ 22-year-old Brazilian forward scored 20 goals in all competitions.’