The Professional Footballers’ Association has finally changed its criteria for the Young Player of the Year after announcing the nominees for the prestigious awards.
The young player accolade has often been a frustration for football supporters with players aged 24 previously able to win the award, Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling claiming last season’s prize in what was incredibly the eighth Premier League campaign in which he had appeared.
The nominees for the 2019/20 season have now been announced alongside a change in criteria, however, with only players aged 21 or under on July 1, 2019 eligible for the prize in a welcome change.
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is the odds-on favourite to be named as Young Player of the Year, the England international the only player nominated for both the senior and young player accolades.
The nominees for the PFA Young Player of the Year!@tamyabraham@trentaa98@masongreenwood
@masonmount_10@marcusrashford@bukayoSaka87🦁 The future's bright 🏴#PFAawards #POTY pic.twitter.com/B97S4I7YIl
— PFA (@PFA) September 4, 2020
Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, Chelsea pair Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka are the other players amongst the nominees.
The senior PFA award features a host of players from title-winners Liverpool with Alexander-Arnold joined by teammates Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson, the latter having already claimed the FWA Footballer of the Year prize.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne – who many regard as the favourite for the senior award – makes up the shortlist alongside Etihad teammate Raheem Sterling.
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