Erling Haaland is the 6/1 favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year following his summer move to Manchester City.
However he does have a bit of history to overcome if he is to win the award, with Ruud van Nistelrooy the only player to win PFA Player of the Year in their first season in the Premier League.
Mo Salah did win the award upon his return to the Premier League, when he was irresistable, scoring 32 goals and registering 10 assists – since the turn of the century, no player has reached 30 goals and not won PFA Player of the Year, with the exception of Harry Kane, whose 30 goals happened to be in the same season as Salah’s debut campaign for Liverpool.
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The Egyptian is second favourite at 7/1, though defending his crown will be no easy feat. Salah is nearing 600 senior appearances and turned 30 in June, and it’s not impossible we’ve seen the best of him.
His performances in the second half of last season may well put a few punters off too. The first 20 games of the campaign saw Salah notch up a ridiculous 25 goal contributions, leaving him as a short odds-on favourite for the award last January, but the two-time winner seemed to suffer from a bit of an AFCON hangover, with just 11 goal contributions in the final 15 games.
But having signed a new contract, Reds fans will hope he comes back refreshed and ready to go in August.
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1992/93 | Paul McGrath |
| 1993/94 | Eric Cantona |
| 1994/95 | Alan Shearer |
| 1995/96 | Les Ferdinand |
| 1996/97 | Alan Shearer |
| 1997/98 | Dennis Bergkamp |
| 1998/99 | David Ginola |
| 1999/00 | Roy Keane |
| 2000/01 | Teddy Sheringham |
| 2001/02 | Ruud van Nistelrooy |
| 2002/03 | Thierry Henry |
| 2003/04 | Thierry Henry |
| 2004/05 | John Terry |
| 2005/06 | Steven Gerrard |
| 2006/07 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2007/08 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2008/09 | Ryan Giggs |
| 2009/10 | Wayne Rooney |
| 2010/11 | Gareth Bale |
| 2011/12 | Robin van Persie |
| 2012/13 | Gareth Bale |
| 2013/14 | Luis Suarez |
| 2014/15 | Eden Hazard |
| 2015/16 | Riyad Mahrez |
| 2016/17 | N'Golo Kante |
| 2017/18 | Mo Salah |
| 2018/19 | Virgil van Dijk |
| 2019/20 | Kevin De Bruyne |
| 2020/21 | Kevin De Bruyne |
| 2021/22 | Mo Salah |
Fellow two-time winner Kevin De Bruyne will be looking to make it three in the last four years, and is next in the betting at 8/1.
Unlucky to miss out to Salah in 2018, the brilliant Belgian struggled with a number of injuries the following season, limiting him to just 11 starts.
But he was back at his best in 2020, with 23 goal contributions from midfield, and even losing out on the title to Liverpool didn’t stop him winning the award, which he retained the following season, despite only making 23 starts, such was his impact when he was on the field.
Harry Kane is 10/1 to win a long-overdue PFA Player of the Year award. One of the Premier League’s all-time great goalscorers has reached 20 goals five times, with his lowest tally in the other three seasons being 17, yet he’s never quite done enough to get over the line, despite topping both the goalscoring and assist charts in 2020/2021.
But he was revitalised last season under Antonio Conte, and his injury problems may be behind him, missing just four games across the last two terms.
Cristiano Ronaldo, winner in 2007 and 2008 is 14/1 fifth favourite, but it remains unknown what kind of role he’ll play under Erik ten Hag. Now 37, it’s unlikely the Portuguese will play week-in, week-out, and despite still being a quality goalscorer, his overall game is miles off the standard he set back in 2007.
Only Thierry Henry, Ronaldo and De Bruyne have won the award in consecutive years.
The award has been won by three defenders, 12 midfielders and 15 forwards.
Of the 30 winners, only 13 won the title that season,
Of the 30 winners, only Van Nistelrooy managed it in his first season in the English top flight.
Of the 30 winners, eight won the Golden Boot in the same season.
Only Henry, Salah and De Bruyne have topped the assist charts and won PFA Player of the Year in the same season.
Click here for PFA Player of the Year odds
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