Erling Haaland named PFA Player of the Year, Bukayo Saka wins Young Player of the Year

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 29 August 2023

Haaland named PFA Player of the Year, Saka wins Young Player of the Year

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland wins the 2022-23 PFA Players' Player of the Year award, while Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka is named the Young Player of the Year.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been named the 2022-23 Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Players' Player of the Year, while Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka has won the Young Player of the Year accolade.

Haaland joined Man City from Borussia Dortmund for £51m in June 2022 and enjoyed an exceptional debut season under manager Pep Guardiola, scoring 52 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions to help the Citizens win a historic Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble.

The 22-year-old broke a plethora of goalscoring records and became the first-ever player in Premier League history to score 36 goals in just 35 appearances, comfortably winning his first Golden Boot in the English top flight.

Haaland also chipped in with eight assists and his 44 goal involvements equalled the highest-ever total in Premier League history set by former Arsenal star Thierry Henry.

The Norwegian fended off competition from teammates John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne as well as Arsenal's Saka and Martin Odegaard, and Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane – now at Bayern Munich – to win the award, having already been named the FWA Footballer of the Year, Premier League Player & Young Player of the Year, and Man City Player of the Season.

PFA Players' Player of the Year. 🏆

Congratulations, @ErlingHaaland 👏#PFAawards #PFA50 pic.twitter.com/vxKUrDRhjs
— Professional Footballers' Association (@PFA) August 29, 2023

Speaking to mancity.com after receiving his latest accolade, Haaland said: "It's an honour to win this prestigious award. To be recognised by your competitors is a great feeling and I would like to thank everyone who voted for me.

"It was an unforgettable season for the team and for me personally. Winning the treble was something I never imagined, so to achieve that with such a special group of players was an amazing feeling.

"John, Rodri, Ruben and Kevin all deserve their place in the Team of the Year and I am delighted that their efforts have been rewarded with this recognition too.

"We created some incredible memories last season, but now we want to do the same again this year. We have started the season well and we need to keep going."

Haaland was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, but he was beaten on this occasion by Saka, whose fine form in the 2022-23 campaign has been recognised by the voting members of the PFA.

🔥 pic.twitter.com/RLKDjxVg2R
— Professional Footballers' Association (@PFA) August 29, 2023

Having previously been nominated for the YPOTY accolade on three occasions, the 21-year-old polled the most votes this time around to finish ahead of teammate Gabriel Martinelli, Haaland, Brighton & Hove Albion duo Moises Caicedo and Evan Ferguson – the former now at Chelsea – and Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey.

Saka established himself as a standout performer for Mikel Arteta's side who finished second in the Premier League last season, scoring a career-high 15 goals and providing 11 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions.

Fourteen goals and all of his 11 assists were recorded across 38 Premier League games, and the English attacker was one of only two players in the division to register double figures for both goals and assists along with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

Saka has taken to social media to react to receiving the award, posting: "PFA Young Player. It's an honour for me to accept this award and have my name alongside the previous winners.

"To have your peers acknowledge you is a very special feeling! Thank you to the PFA and congratulations to all the other winners and nominees this evening."

Both Saka and Haaland have also been selected in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year which includes a total of nine players between Man City and Arsenal.