Phil Foden of Manchester City and Bunny Shaw have been named the men’s and women’s PFA Player of the Year, respectively, at the annual PFA awards held on Tuesday evening.
Foden, 24, played a crucial role in helping City secure their fourth consecutive Premier League title, netting 19 goals and providing eight assists throughout the season. His exceptional performance has now garnered recognition from his fellow players. Similarly, Jamaican forward Shaw was the standout performer in the Women’s Super League, finishing as the league’s top scorer with 21 goals, although City narrowly missed the title, finishing second to Chelsea on goal difference.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been awarded the men’s PFA Young Player of the Year, while Manchester United’s Grace Clinton has received the women’s equivalent, thanks to her impressive loan stint at Tottenham last season. Palmer, who scored 22 goals, finished just behind City’s Erling Haaland in the Premier League scoring charts and also led Chelsea with 11 assists. Clinton made a notable impact with four goals and four assists in her 20 appearances for Spurs.
Two individuals were also honored with PFA Merit awards for their remarkable careers. Fara Williams, the most capped player in England’s history with 172 caps and 40 goals, delivered a standout performance in leading the Lionesses to a third-place finish in the 2015 World Cup and represented Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics. Dean Lewington’s illustrious career was likewise recognized; at 40 years old, he set the EFL record for most appearances with a single club, clocking in at 771 appearances for MK Dons last December.
In the Championship, Crysencio Summerville has been named Player of the Year after a fantastic season with Leeds, scoring 21 goals as the team fell short in the play-off final for promotion. The League One award went to Alfie May, who netted a league-leading 23 goals for Charlton before moving to Birmingham. Notts County’s Jodi Jones took home the League Two prize with an English league-record 24 assists in their first season back in the EFL since 2018-19.
Premier League Team of the Year
- Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal)
- Defenders: Kyle Walker (Man City), Gabriel (Arsenal), William Saliba (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
- Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rodri (Man City), Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal)
- Forwards: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Erling Haaland (Man City), Phil Foden (Man City)
Credit: Sky Sports
