Kevin De Bruyne named PFA Player of the Year
KEVIN DE BRUYNE has been named this season’s PFA Player of the Year.
And Phil Foden has made it a Manchester City clean sweep by scooping the Young Player award.
De Bruyne, 29, scored six goals and bagged 12 assists in 25 games as Pep Guardiola’s men reclaimed the Premier League title from Liverpool.
The Belgian has now won the illustrious award for two straight seasons thanks to the votes of his peers, becoming just the third player to achieve the feat after Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry.
He saw off competition from Tottenham’s Harry Kane, Man United’s Bruno Fernandes, and Man City team-mates Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Ruben Dias – this season’s Premier League and Football Writers’ Player of the Year.
But Foden didn’t go empty-handed after a brilliant campaign where he scored nine goals and created a further five in 28 matches.
The 20-year-old was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year ahead of Chelsea’s Mason Mount, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, West Ham’s Declan Rice, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Man United’s Mason Greenwood.
The PFA Premier League Team of the Year has also been announced, with De Bruyne making the cut but Foden failing to get in.
Man City’s Ederson is in goal, and has three teammates in defence.
Dias, John Stones and Joao Cancelo are joined by Man United’s Luke Shaw.
In midfield, City’s Ilkay Gundogan and United’s Fernandes join De Bruyne.
And up top, Liverpool’s Mo Salah and Spurs’ Son Heung-Min flank Tottenhams striker Kane.
Reflecting on his prize, an emotional De Bruyne said: “The fact that players chose me for this award means that I have done really well.
“You want to win all the trophies with the team and this is probably the most important one as an individual in the league“.
“To be voted be your competitors, by players who you compete with in every game – for them to choose you says a lot“.
“They’re the people in my view who know the most about the game. When you have these things you can show your kids and say, ‘Look! This is what daddy did when he was younger’“.
Teammate Foden added: “I’m really honoured. There have been some great players in the past that have won it, and I feel really lucky because there has been so many great young talents this year”.
“I’d like to thank my parents, all of the coaches and the players as well. Without the players creating chances for me, I wouldn’t score and maybe I wouldn’t win awards. Without them it wouldn’t have been possible“.
