Fans demand changes to Young Player of the Season rules, with Alexander Isak turning 25 this year among other ‘seasoned pros’ nominated for the award
Fans have reacted with fury to the Premier League’s Young Players of the Season shortlist as half of the nominees overlap with the main prize.
Supporters will help vote for the Young Player of the Season winner, from eight nominees aged 23 or under at the start of the 2023-24 campaign, and these will be combined with the opinions of a panel of experts from the soccer.
But the inclusion of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, who turns 25 in September, and Man City’s Phil Foden, who won the award in 2021 and 2022, has sparked anger from fans on social media, who believe the rules must change.
Isak, Foden, his City teammate Erling Haaland and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer were all included in the nominations for the Premier League player of the season, as well as the award for players aged 24 or under.
Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and William Saliba and Spurs defender Destiny Udogie were also nominated for the Young Player of the Season award.
Alexander Isak is on the league’s young player of the season list despite turning 25 this year
Previous winners Phil Foden and Erling Haaland are also nominated again for the award.
Sky Sports pundit Dougie Critchley said on X (formerly Twitter): “Isak is 24… Haaland, Foden, Saliba are 23.
“There is no way they will be nominated for Young Player of the Year!
“Should introduce PFA rule for their YPOTY award…21 or under as of July 1 of previous season
“Mainoo, Palmer, Saka, Udogie would all count! »
One fan wrote: “Ah yes, Phil Foden, father of 2 and turning 25 next year, is nominated for young player of the season.”
Another said: “I see more outrage at the idea of an actual young person being nominated than the fact that there are seasoned pros and 24 year olds in this award.”
“They need to change how this reward works,” one fan wrote, adding: “It should be players who had their first ever 20+ game season in the PL or something.”
Others have suggested it could be replaced with a “rookie” season award, to honor those who made the most impact in their first campaign, or to suggest that previous young winners should not be able to be nominated in the future.
The Premier League’s version of the award was introduced in 2019-20, and the first winner was Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Foden achieved his double success in the years that followed, before Haaland won the young player award last season, alongside the Premier League senior player of the season award.
Of the other nominees, Palmer is the division’s second highest scorer with 21 goals, while Mainoo established himself in the England squad after playing for the Red Devils.
Cole Palmer enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign at Chelsea following his move
Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo has forced his way into the England squad
Isak scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season in the 4-1 win over Burnley last weekend, while Udogie has enjoyed a brilliant campaign for Spurs and a crucial cog in England’s attacking approach. Ange Postecoglou.
The winner of this year’s Young Player of the Season award will be announced on May 18, ahead of the final day of the Premier League campaign the following day.
