TheCable

Erling Haaland was named the Players’ Player of the Year 2023 while Bukayo Saka clinched the Young Player of the Year award at the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) award ceremony.

Haaland, Manchester City’s towering forward, beat a field including now-departed Harry Kane, Kevin de Bruyne and three others to claim the top prize on Tuesday night.

Haaland contributed a record-breaking 36 league goals and eight assists to ensure Man City won the English Premier League (EPL) title.

He was also crucial in the club claiming a treble of league, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League.

Saka, on the other hand, won the young player award ahead of Gabriel Martinelli, his Arsenal teammate.

The England international of Nigerian heritage was a linchpin for Arsenal last season as they pushed champions Manchester City through most of the EPL season.

The 21-year-old scored a career-high 15 goals and provided 15 assists in 38 games as the Gunners narrowly missed out on the league title.

The ceremony also saw Davido, the Nigerian artiste, entertain the crowd.

FULL LIST

• PFA Players’ Player of the Year (Male): Erling Haaland
• PFA Players’ Young Player of the Year (Male): Bukayo Saka
• PFA Players’ Player of the Year (Female): Rachel Daly
• PFA Players’ Young Player of the Year (Female): Laura James
• PFA Merit Award: Ian Wright PFA
• PFA Team of the Year: Aaron Ramsdale, John Stones, Ruben Dias, William Saliba, Kieran Trippier, Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland.