Kevin De Bruyne, a Manchester City midfielder, has been named Premier League Player of the Season ahead of Mo Salah.
Kevin De Bruyne has had his best Premier League season yet, scoring 15 goals and assisting on seven occasions.
The Belgian took up the award in 2020, while Mohamad Salah did so in 2018. After defender Ruben Dias won the honor 12 months ago, this is the third season in a row that a City player has won the award.
Both Mohamed Salah and Heung-Min Son were on the eight-man shortlist, and both are still in contention for the Golden Boot, with Salah leading Tottenham’s South Korean by one goal.
The title-tussling titans were also represented by fullbacks Joao Cancelo and Trent Alexander-Arnold, as well as Jarrod Bowen, Bukayo Saka, James Ward-Prowse and James Ward.
The public’s votes on the Premier League website were merged with those of the 20 Premier League club captains and a panel of football experts to determine the winner.
De Bruyne’s four goals against Wolves earlier this month may have tipped the scales in his favor. City’s seven shots in the first half at Molineux had an expected-goals total of just 0.52, meaning that attempts from those situations would usually result in one goal every other game.
Within 24 minutes, De Bruyne had three goals.
Guardiola, speaking after the game, said: “Kevin has always had the potential to make unique items.”
“We always tell him he’s a wonderful player who gives a lot of assists, but he has to score goals, and this season is his most productive since we’ve been together.
“We talked to him about sprinting into the box and getting closer to the box, and he’s become better at that this season.”
Foden keeps his title as Young Player of the Season
For the second year in a row, Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has been named Premier League Young Player of the Season.
Foden, who won the award in 2020/21, has already doubled his previous season’s output, scoring nine goals and providing five assists while growing in importance for Pep Guardiola’s club.
Foden, who is still only 21, missed the first month of the season due to a foot ailment, but he returned to show his tremendous potential by beating Chelsea’s Mason Mount and West Ham’s Declan Rice to the Premier League young player of the season award.
“I’m thrilled to have won this award for the second consecutive season. The Premier League is full of brilliant young players, so winning it again is a true honor “Foden stated.
