TalkSPORT pundit and former Liverpool captain, Graeme Souness, has predicted that Manchester City's attacking midfielder, Phil Foden, will beat Arsenal talisman Martin Odegaard to the PFA Player of the Year award.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Souness expressed his belief that while Odegaard deserves to be among the candidates for this prestigious award, it is Foden who stands out as his top pick. He emphasized that "Foden deserves to be in contention for Player of the Year."
TalkSPORT pundit, Graeme Souness, said:
“The votes are being cast for the footballer of the year and Arsenal’s captain Martin Odegaard will have to be in the mix. However, Manchester City’s Phil Foden gets my vote.”
“He has been outstanding. He appears to have that attitude where he wants to learn something new every day in training and we are seeing a real superstar in the making. His goal against Real Madrid in midweek summed him up. Calmness under pressure, he shifted the ball out of his feet and hit it so smoothly. He is a terrific striker of the ball.”
The England international has indeed had an outstanding season so far. With 22 goals and 10 assists in just 41 appearances under his belt this season alone, it's clear why he is a strong contender.
Competition runs high for the award this time around
However, winning this accolade won't be a walk in the park for Foden. There are several other players who have also shown exceptional performances throughout this campaign.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are both in contention, other Manchester City players like Rodri have been consistently brilliant and Liverpool’s Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk could make their way into the final shortlist.
Rodri particularly stands out as he hasn't been on a losing side when he has played on pitch during this campaign.
Voting still in process with more action left in Premier League
As per Souness' comments, players are currently casting their votes but we'll have to wait until August end when the ceremony takes place to find out who wins this coveted award.
Erling Haaland was last year's recipient of this accolade while Manchester City players have taken home this trophy three times over in just four years - showcasing their consistent high-level performance at both individual and team levels.
While the competition is fierce for the PFA Player of The Year award, Graeme Souness firmly believes that Phil Foden's outstanding performance this season makes him a strong contender. However, with other exceptional talents in contention, it remains to be seen who will ultimately clinch this prestigious accolade.
