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The Premier League Player of the Season Award recognizes the most outstanding player in the English top-flight over the course of a season. The winner is chosen by a panel chosen by the league sponsors which consists of fans, the media and members of football's governing bodies.
Ruben Dias won the latest edition of the Premier League Player of the Season Award. Legends of the game like Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Nemanja Vidic are the only three players to have ever won the award twice.
The 2021-22 Premier League title race is going to be exciting
Premier League giants like Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are proactively reinforcing their squads this summer. Manchester City won the 2020-21 Premier League title by quite a big margin but the title race is going to be much more intense this time around.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five favourites to win the Premier League Player of the Season Award.
#5 N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)
N'Golo Kante is one of the most hard-working footballers on the planet. His tenacity and relentlessness are often lauded, but his tactical intelligence and technical proficiency are overlooked.
Kante finished the 2020-21 season in prime form. He was Chelsea's best player in the final four games of their triumphant Champions League campaign. France getting knocked out of Euro 2020 in the Round of 16 was definitely a setback.
But the 30-year-old is expected to play a key role for the Blues next season. The spotlight is definitely on the central midfielder and more people are starting to acknowledge how important he is to his side. One thing about Kante is that he is always going to give it his best and he will have a big role to play for Tuchel's men next season.
#4 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The ever dependable Mohamed Salah won the Premier League Player of the Season Award in the 2017-18 season. He has also won the Premier League Golden Boot on two occasions.
Despite Liverpool having a rather underwhelming campaign last time around, Salah resumed his regular service. He scored 31 goals and provided six assists in 51 appearances across all competitions this past season.
Salah's pace, quick feet and ability to shoot from difficult angles and tight spaces continue to make him a threatening presence in the final third. He is definitely a contender for the Premier League Player of the Season Award.
#3 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Signing Bruno Fernandes for £47 million is simply the best piece of business the Red Devils have done in the recent past. The Portuguese midfielder has had a galvanizing effect on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. He has inarguably been their best player for a season and a half now.
Fernandes scored 28 goals and provided 17 assists from midfield for Manchester United across all competitions in the 2020-21 season. He bettered Frank Lampard's goal tally (27 goals) from his best season (2009-10) at Chelsea.
Now with Jadon Sancho added to the mix, Fernandes will have one more creative player to link up with. 26-year-old will be one of the pillars of Manchester United's title challenge in the 2021-22 season.
#2 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane faces an uncertain future right now. But as of today, he remains a Tottenham Hotspur player. He is one of the best strikers in the world and is also a wonderful playmaker. It is a pity that one of the most well-rounded footballers in the Premier League is yet to win a major trophy with either club or country.
Kane has refused to show up for training at Tottenham Hotspur as he wants to leave. Spurs want to keep him. He scored 33 goals and provided 17 assists across all competitions for them in the 2020-21 season. He also won the Premier League Golden Boot and the Playmaker Award last term.
Manchester City have been linked with Kane. But irrespective of whichever club he represents in the 2021-22 season, the Englishman is expected to fire on all cylinders.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Arguably the finest midfielder in the Premier League, Kevin De Bruyne will once again be central to Manchester City's title charge for the 2021-22 season. He was chosen as the PFA Player of the Year last season and showcased scintillating form at the recently concluded Euros.
De Bruyne's technical excellence and creativity will once again be one of Guardiola's chief weapons in the upcoming season. He has never disappointed in any of the seasons he has spent at City and the 2021-22 campaign is not expected to be any different.
Honourable mentions: Virgil van Dijk and Harry Maguire
Virgil van Dijk and Harry Maguire are arguably two of the finest centre-backs in the Premier League. Van Dijk missed the majority of the 2020-21 season after rupturing his ACL.
Liverpool missed the Dutchman dearly. He helped transform Klopp's side into Champions League and Premier League champions in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons respectively. Ibrahima Konate, who was signed from RB Leipzig earlier this summer, could prove to be a great partner for Van Dijk in central defence.
Harry Maguire was one of England's best players in their run to the final of Euro 2020. He has been a colossus at the back for Manchester United. Now that he has a new and dependable partner in Raphael Varane, we could see the best of Maguire in the 2021-22 season.
