Bukayo Saka scoops PFA award as Premier League team of the year unveiled

29 August 2023 , 19:55

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Bukayo Saka (left) has been named the PFA Young Player of the Year (Image: PA)

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka won the Young Player of the Year award after his unforgettable season for the Gunners and also England.

Saka, 21, scored 22 goals for club and country last season, starred for England at the World Cup and was the driving force behind Arsenal ’s title challenge. Meanwhile, the divisional awards went to Chuba Akpom who enjoyed a brilliant season last year at Middlesbrough which led to his move from the Championship to Ajax.

Ipswich Town’s Conor Chaplin won the League One Player of the Year and Bradford’s Andy Cook got the League Two gong. The Premier League team of the year was: Ramsdale; Trippier, Stones, Dias, Saliba; De Bruyne, Rodri, Odegaard; Saka, Haaland, Kane.

Saka was involved in all 38 of Arsenal's Premier League games and was a pivotal figure for the Gunners, who eventually finished second behind champions Manchester City. His form in Qatar also caught the eye, as the forward bounced back from his Euro 2021 final heartbreak in the best possible fashion.

And he's started this campaign in much the same vein. He scored on the opening weekend in Arsenal's win over Nottingham Forest, and was on target again in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Fulham.

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Saka wins the award for the first time, with Phil Foden taking the honour the past two seasons. The last star from the north London club to pick up the PFA Young Player of the Year was Jack Wilshere, after the 2010/11 campaign.

And the club Academy product is joined in the team of the year by three teammates. Keeper Aaron Ramsdale is included, along with defender William Saliba, whose injury at the tail-end of the campaign was widely cited as a. critical factor in Arsenal's season derailing.

Saka has already scored twice this season (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Skipper Martin Odegaard is also selected, but unsurprisingly, it's Manchester City who contribute the most players. John Stones and Ruben Dias have been picked as centre backs, and Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri in midfield.

Inevitably, Erling Haaland is also named, having topped the Premier League goalscoring charts with a record 36-goal haul. Outside of the top two, Newcastle full back Kieran Trippier is also included.

And alongside Saka and Haaland up front ins former former-Tottenham striker Harry Kane. It's the sixth - and potentially last - time Bayern Munich's new star has been named.

John Cross