Kane row as De Bruyne and Salah lead race for player of year award
MO SALAH and Kevin De Bruyne head the nominations for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award — but yesterday’s announcement was overshadowed by another snub for Sergio Aguero and 24-yearold Harry Kane also being included as a candidate for best young player.
De Bruyne was among three Manchester City players on the six-man shortlist with David Silva and Leroy Sane. Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, Kane and Salah complete the list.
But there was no place for Aguero, who has scored 30 goals this season and become City’s all-time leading scorer. The Argentinian has never been in a PFA team of the year despite winning five major trophies with City and being the 12th highest Premier League scorer of all time.
There was much derision when the nominees were announced by the players’ union for its young player of the year with Kane, a two-time Golden Boot winner, due to turn 25 in July and Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson also 24.
They are up against City duo Raheem Sterling, 23, and Sane, 22, plus 20-year-old Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford and defender Ryan Sessegnon, 17, from Championship club Fulham.
Kane had already faced flak after successfully claiming a goal on appeal when Christian Eriksen’s free-kick brushed his shoulder against Stoke. And social media users poked more fun at the Tottenham striker as he was on the shortlist while 19year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has reached the Champions League semi-finals with Liverpool, was not.
Kane is just within the PFA rules to be nominated but comments on social media included: ‘Lmao. Out there to steal awards too,’ and: ‘If it’s anyone else but him, Harry Kane’s gonna appeal and win it anyway.’
Salah and De Bruyne will be the hot favourites to win. Salah is the Premier League’s leading scorer but De Bruyne’s case is helped by the last three winners all having played for the champions.
Every professional player from the four divisions gets a vote to choose the winner.