English Premier League announces Player of Season shortlist

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - The English Premier League on Thursday announced the EA SPORTS Player of the Season 2022-23 award nominees as seven players including Manchester City star Erling Haaland were shortlisted for the award.

In a statement, the Premier League said that Manchester City duo Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane, Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard and winger Bukayo Saka, and Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford and Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier are this season's nominees.

Fans will vote to select the player of the season by voting on the EA SPORTS website until May 22.

"The public votes will be combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide the winner, who will be revealed on Saturday, 27 May," the Premier League said.

In his first season at Manchester City, Norwegian superstar Haaland, 22, is the 2022-23 Premier League top scorer with 36 goals.

This season Spurs' Kane has 27 goals to be after Haaland.

Haaland surpassed league legends Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer in the field of most goals scored by a player in a single season.

Another Manchester City star De Bruyne from Belgium made 16 assists to be this season's assist leader in the Premier League.

Arsenal's Saka made 11 assists to follow De Bruyne. Saka also scored 13 goals.

De Bruyne, a Manchester City regular since 2015, was previously voted the 2021-22 EA SPORTS Player of the Season after the 31-year-old tallied 15 goals and eight assists last season in the Premier League.

- Manager of season nominees unveiled as well

In addition to the players, six head coaches are now competing for the Premier League's manager of the 2022-23 season award.

The Barclays Manager of the Season nominees are Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton & Hove Albion), Unai Emery (Aston Villa), Eddie Howe (Newcastle United), and Marco Silva (Fulham).

"The votes from the public will be combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide the winner, who will be announced on Tuesday, 30 May," the Premier League statement read.

Fans can vote on the league's website.

Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp, who is not among this season's nominees, won the 2021-22 Barclays Manager of the Season award last year.