TheCable

Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester City midfielder, has won the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) player of the year award for the 2019/2020 season.

The Belgian playmaker was announced winner on the association’s website on Tuesday, ahead of Virgil van Dijk, Saido Mane, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling.

De Bruyne credited Pep Guardiola, his coach, who handed him the licence to dictate City’s attack, for the award.

“Most of the time he just lets me be me, we speak often about the team but in a lot of senses he knows when he gives the orders of what the team has to do that I will listen,” the 29-year-old said.

“But then on the other side he gives me a lot of freedom; I don’t know why, that’s just the way it goes between us.

“He knows in one way I will always put the team first and then obviously if I can help myself I’m going to do that.

“But he knows that I want the team to win, and if the team wins I will gain from it. So I think in that sense he feels fine and he trusts me completely.

“It’s maybe strange that I’m the first one at City, seeing all the good players who played there before and who are still playing. But it’s nice to represent the club.”

De Bruyne becomes the first Manchester City player to win the award.

It is also the third consecutive season a player from a club that did not win the English Premier League title will be voted winner of the award.

De Bruyne contributed a record-equalling 20 assists and scored 13 goals in a season Man City finished second in the EPL, 18 points behind Liverpool, the champions.