The shortlist for the 2024 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award has been released and there was one surprising omission.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer, Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and three Man City stars – in Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Rodri – are all up for the award.
But Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice fell short of making the six-man shortlist.
The nominees and the winner of this award are selected by professional players in England.
Rice came second in the vote for the FWA Footballer of the Year award, selected by journalists, after playing in all 38 of Arsenal’s Premier League matches last season. The England midfielder scored seven league goals for the Gunners and also produced eight assists.
PFA Players’ Player of the Year. 🏆
The Top Six. Chosen by the players. ⬇️
#PFAawards pic.twitter.com/0JxsHcm15t— Professional Footballers' Association (@PFA) August 13, 2024
Manchester City stars Erling Haaland (left) and Phil Foden (right) have both been nominated for the 2024 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award
Martin Odegaard (left) is on the shortlist but Arsenal team-mate Declan Rice (right) is not
Arsenal finished second in the Premier League last season – two points behind Man City
Foden won the FWA award and is understood to be a frontrunner for the PFA prize.
The 2024 PFA Players’ Player of the Year winner will be revealed on August 20.
Three of the past four winners have been Man City players. Haaland won it in the 2022-23 season after scoring a record-breaking 36 Premier League goals.
Kevin De Bruyne had earlier picked up the gong in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, but Liverpool’s Mo Salah topped the vote at the end of the 2021-22 season.
Haaland scored 27 Premier League goals last season to win the Golden Boot for the second year running.
Palmer came second on the list of top scorers with 22 goals, ahead of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak with 21. Watkins, Foden and Dominic Solanke netted 19 each.
Haaland pictured at last year’s PFA awards where he was named as the Player of the Year
Lauren James (left) won the Women’s Young Player of the Year prize last year, while Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (right) received the men’s equivalent
Three Man City players have also been nominated for the Women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw join Chelsea trio Lauren James, Niamh Charles and Erin Cuthbert on the six-woman shortlist.
Chelsea and City finished level on points in last season’s WSL, with the London club winning the title on goal difference after thrashing Man United 6-0 on the final day.
