The favourites for the PFA Young Player of the Year award

Sponsored content

As we enter the month of May, the 2021-22 Premier League season is edging ever closer to its thrilling conclusion — with just a handful of games left to decide who will be crowned champions out of Liverpool and Manchester City, who will secure the European spots and even who will become the third team to be relegated as Everton and Burnley lock horns in a nail-biting scrap for survival.

But once all that is decided, and the dust settles on another fantastic season of top-flight football the Premier League betting pages refresh ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, which will be somewhat stop-start due to the winter World Cup in Qatar, it will be time of the PFA Awards — showing recognition to best players and coaches the league has to offer.

The Young Player of the Season award, which is for players aged 21 or under prior to the start of the recent campaign, is one of the most prestigious accolades available — with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale all on the list of previous recipients.

That said, let’s take a look at the favourites to win this season’s renewal of the award. Read on to find out more!

Phil Foden – Manchester City

Dual winner of both the Premier League Young Player of the Season and PFA Young Player of the Year in 2021, Manchester City’s Phil Foden is the heavy favourite to defend his title at next month’s award ceremony — and if Pep Guardiola’s men can pip the Reds to league, then there will surely only be one winner.

Only Ryan Giggs, Robbie Fowler, Rooney and Dele Alli have won the award in successive years since it was formed in the 1973-74 campaign, but with eight goals and five assists to his name in 25 Premier League appearances for this season and his sights on the title, Foden could be about to a fifth name to the list of double winners.

Bukayo Saka – Arsenal

A nominee for the PFA Young Player of the Year award last year, Bukayo Saka looks set to go up against his England teammate again this year and the 20-year-old’s odds of winning the personal accolade have been massively slashed after his recent performances — most notably against Chelsea and Manchester United.

The versatile Arsenal winger would be a deserved winner as well, arguably more so than Foden, having bagged 11 goals and six assists for the Gunners so far this season. And if he can help the north London side secure fourth, earning them Champions League football for the first time in five years, he could take home the award.

Conor Gallagher – Crystal Palace (on loan from Chelsea)

Another fully fledged Three Lion who looks set for a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination, Conor Gallagher has really impressed during his loan spell at Crystal Palace from their cross-city rivals Chelsea this season.

The now 22-year-old first rose to prominence at West Bromwich Albion last year, but despite earning prise for his performances at the Hawthorns, he couldn’t keep the Baggies afloat. He’s been much for effective at Selhurst Park this year though, scoring eight time and assisting three in 30 Premier League appearances, and it will be interesting to see if his future lies at Stamford Bridge or Palace do indeed make the move permanent next summer.