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Written by Martin Graham | May 15 2022
The nominees for the PFA Premier League Player of the Year award will soon be announced, with regulars Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne leading the nominations.
Salah has already won the Football Writers Association (FWA) award this season and is looking to win another individual award with the PFA award. However, with Manchester City edging closer to the title, it appears that their outstanding player De Bruyne is the only option to win the award.
The official list of nominees will be announced in June, but both players have just been announced as nominees for the Premier League Player of the Year award. They were nominated along with Bukayo Saka, Jarrod Bowen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joao Cancelo, James Ward-Prowse and Hong Min Son.
Last season’s award was picked up by Manchester City’s Robin Dias, who beat the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Jack Grealish, Mason Mount and Thomas Suchek.
Below is a look at the chances of all the nominees for the eight-man Premier League shortlisted for Player of the Year.
Mohamed Salah
Salah won the award once in the 2017/18 season, and was awarded the PFA Fans Player of the Year award. He will be looking to add a third major Premier League individual award which is not a Golden Boot to the Cabinet when the results are announced.
His cause will help greatly if Liverpool can win the Premier League this season, as they are still vying for the title. He’s scored 22 goals and 13 assists in the league, putting him in pole position for both Playmaker of the Year and Golden Boot award, emulating Harry Kane’s accomplishments from last season.
Kevin De Bruyne
The Belgian won the award for the first time in the 2019/20 season, defeating Mohamed Salah with the award. It was a controversial win as Salah was an important player in the Liverpool team that won the Premier League that season.
However, he is on his way to winning another one as he was Manchester City’s most important player this year, and his 15 goals and seven assists were key to staying on top of the Premier League table ahead of the final round of the league. league.
Bukayo Saka
The youngster has performed at Arsenal so well that despite being only 20 years old, he is considered a level above his peers in the Premier League’s Best Young Player category.
Arsenal have had a volatile season, but Saka’s 17 goals (11 goals, six assists) have been key to their hopes of a debut in the UEFA Champions League since 2017, and the first finish to the fourth box since that season.
It’s a wildcard to win the prize.
Jarrod Bowen
West Ham United’s most impressive striker this season is Bowen. With 10 goals and 12 assists, he is also among the most prolific strikers in the Premier League this season.
In a season of uncertainty for the Hammers, the 25-year-old has done very well. His performances have helped West Ham out of tough situations throughout the season and he is a well-deserved candidate for the award.
However, it is unlikely that he will end up winning.
Son Heung Min
The South Korean has been one of Tottenham’s best performing players for a number of years, but he has risen to another level this season.
His performances mark the rise of Tottenham Hotspur from the ashes this season after a poor start to the season under Nuno Espirito Santo. After the appointment of Antonio Conte, Son became the most dangerous player in the club.
He’s been linked with Harry Kane to tear opponents apart, and he’s chasing the top scorer award. He is just one goal behind Salah and five goal contributions behind Salah to become the most admired striker in the Premier League this season.
He has a better chance of winning the award before the others, but with the nomination of Salah and De Bruyne, it will be a long dream. However, he can be content with the small win of passing Salah to the top scorer award, because only one goal separates them.
Trent Alexander Arnold
The Liverpool full-back has been one of the Premier League’s most lethal creators since its inception. His vision and passing range are some of the best in the world, and he thanks Salah for a lot of it.
He helps help his teammate Salah and could win the playmaker award. It’s also a good cry for the award, having seen teammate Virgil van Dijk and Man City defender Ruben Dias win it before.
Joao Cancelo
The Manchester City midfielder has been amazing for the greater part of the season. His defensive ability has helped the club come out in many situations, and his attacking ability has created a number of buried opportunities to give him assists or lead to a goal.
Along with De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, City have been a standout performer this season, but it would be hard to outsmart his teammate for the award.
James Ward Bruce
Southampton’s golden boy has impressed the Premier League this season. He scored his 14th direct free kick of the season, four goals behind the legendary 18-year-old David Beckham who leads the Premier League standings.
His Central Park ability for Saints is also one of the best in the league, and has helped them rack up some famous wins and grab some famous results this season.
However, it may not be enough to win the prize before all the names on the current list.
