Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne could be on course for a hat-trick of Professional Footballers’ Association men’s player of the year awards after he was shortlisted for the 2022 prize.
The Belgium international has been instrumental in City retaining their Premier League title this season and has been nominated for the accolade which is voted for by his peers, having won it in each of the last two years.
He is joined on the list by Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil Van Dijk, Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Tottenham striker Harry Kane, with Kane’s team-mate Son Heung-min missing out despite sharing the Golden Boot with Salah.
De Bruyne’s City team-mate Phil Foden is on an all-English shortlist for the Young Player of the Year gong.
Foden will be hoping to retain his title from last term. The other nominees this season are Arsenal midfield duo Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe, Chelsea’s Crystal Palace loanee Conor Gallagher, Chelsea full-back Reece James and Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey.
City are also well represented in the women’s categories. Lauren Hemp, who won the young player award last season, has been nominated in the senior and young player shortlists.
Team-mate Alex Greenwood is also on the main women’s player shortlist, but the pair face stiff competition from Chelsea duo Sam Kerr and Pernille Harder, who helped their team win the domestic double.
Arsenal’s Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema and her Gunners team-mate Kim Little complete the main player of the year shortlist.
Hemp, who is a three-time winner of the PFA young player prize in the past, is joined on the young player nominees list this season by Chelsea forward Lauren James, Arsenal’s Norwegian star Frida Maanum, Tottenham striker Jessica Naz, Manchester United forward Ella Toone and Brighton defender Maya Le Tissier.
The winners of these awards, plus the teams of the season for the Premier League, Women’s Super League, Championship, League One and League Two and the winners of the men’s and women’s lifetime achievement prizes will be announced at a virtual ceremony on June 9.
