Bukayo Saka and William Saliba have been included on the eight-man shortlist for the 2023/24 Premier League Young Player of the Season award.
Both players have been crucial to Arsenal’s title charge this season with Saka starting 34 of our 36 league games and Saliba, quite remarkably, playing every minute.
The England international has achieved a personal best tally of goal involvements, scoring 16 and making nine assists. Meanwhile, the Frenchman has helped the Gunners to 17 clean sheets with two games remaining.
This is the fourth season in a row that Saka has been nominated for the young player gong. Surprisingly, he’s missed out on being nominated for the main award.
While Saliba makes the list for the first time, his development has already been feted in France where he secured the equivalent Young Player of the Year award in 2022 for his performances with Marseille.
A cursory look at who the Arsenal pair are up against suggests they have their work cut out persuading the judges they are worthy of the win.
Phil Foden, winner of the award in 2020/21 and 2021/22, is likely to be favourite having recently been crowned FWA Footballer of the Year. The top flight’s three top scorers Haaland (25 goals), Palmer (21) and Isal (20) will also fancy their chances.
Hublot Young Player of the Season nominees
Bukayo Saka, 22 (Arsenal)
William Saliba, 23 (Arsenal)
Erling Haaland, 23 (Manch115ter City)
Phil Foden, 23 (Manch115ter City)
Cole Palmer, 22 (Chelsea)
Alexander Isak, 24 (Newcastle)
Kobbie Mainoo, 19 (Manchester United)
Destiny Udogie, 21 (Sp*rs)
Fans have until 12pm (BST) on 13 May to vote for the best player who was under 23 at the start of the season.
The votes from the public will then be combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide the winner, who will be revealed on the eve of the final day of the season.
I’m a fan of Isak but are you really a young player at 24?
24, in his second season, after a £70m transfer having made over 150 league appearances in La Liga and the Prem. It should be renamed the best “breakout player” or something like that and awarded to the best player with under 38 appearances in a top 5 league before the season starts, whether that’s a Jamie Vardy type in his late 20s or a 16 year old from somebody’s academy.
A rookie of the year award would be good one because as despite their age some of these players are pretty experienced at this point.
And how is Udogie nominated, if we’re including 24 year olds now surely van de Ven has been Spurs best defender?
I really hope he’s our main target. Brilliant player.
But yeah, even the criteria listed here:
“Under 23 at the start of the season.”
It is literally impossible he was UNDER 23 at the start of the season.
Milner winning the award in 2010 at age 24 (SEVEN years after his breakthrough PL season), broke the credibility of this award for good I feel
Milner winning any footballing award will have broken the credibility of that award period. A player who really exemplified the previous era of the Premier League, when it was just big guys who can’t dribble running around fast kicking each other.
Top two in the final results, clearly, both Saka and Saliba are top players.
Though there may be 115 reasons why the two City players get those spots…
I’d love to see Saliba get this. If ever there was a defender that’s earned it…
Of course we know where is going.
If these are ‘young’ players perhaps I’m misguided in believing myself too old to fulfill my dream of becoming a Premier League footballer.
I think in the U.S., organizations like the “Young Republicans” allow membership if you are under 40. You are free to insert political jokes below.
Wow! To think that two our biggest players are still qualified for YPS tells its own story about the potential of this squad. I want us to win the league this season; but if City beats us to it, I won’t be overly disappointed. If there is one certainty in England at the moment, it is the fact that Arsenal will be epl champions sooner rather than later. I remember Liverpool running City close two seasons in a row, and then taking it the third time. I am persuaded we will start next season as favourites…and win it, irrespective of… Read more »
How did Kobbie Mainoo get on this list…. I rate him overall but nowhere close to POTY material.
Same for Udogie. You’re not serious if you nominate people just for being new and interesting on a big team.