Aguero and Bale nominated for young player of the year award
16/04/2012 - 17:35:11
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Tottenham winger Gareth Bale have been named among the nominees for the PFA’s Young Player of the Year Award.
Aguero has made a huge impact at the Etihad Stadium since his club record £38million signing from Atletico Madrid, while last year’s senior winner Bale could win the award after another fine campaign.
Bale’s Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker, Arsenal prodigy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck and Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge made up a six-man shortlist announced by the Professional Footballers’ Association tonight.
The winner will be announced on Sunday.
PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor assessed the candidates as the list was revealed.
Aguero, 23, City’s top scorer with 28 goals this term, has also been nominated for the main Players’ Player of the Year award.
Taylor said: “He has been an excellent buy. His strength, courage and goals have been there for all to see and we are fortunate to be able to see him in this country.”
Welshman Bale, 22, burst onto the scene last season and is now regarded as one of the best left-sided players in the world.
Taylor said: “It was inevitable some of the performances couldn’t be as high as last season but he is still up there.
“He has got phenomenal pace and attributes and I just hope he can maintain that.”
Winger Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18, has earned rave reviews since breaking into the Gunners first-team this season and could have an outside chance of playing at Euro 2012 with England.
Taylor said: “He looks very effective and he is looking like a goalscorer.
“The sky is the limit and you hope that is achievable.
“It is always nice to see a manager accommodate players who have done well in the younger England teams and he would be one of those.”
Sturridge, 22, has scored 12 goals for Chelsea this term since returning from a successful loan spell at Bolton.
Taylor said: “Daniel just looked the business at Bolton and I think that gave him the confidence to do well.
“He has had an excellent season. I am hoping he is another one, not just for the future, but the present as well.”
Welbeck, 21, has established himself at Old Trafford after being loaned to Sunderland last season, scoring 11 times.
Taylor said: “It can only bring confidence playing at a club like United and when you get the type of service that team can provide for a striker – he is in the very best place for his career at this moment in time. Everything is looking good.”
Taylor also believes right-back Walker, 21, has benefited from loan moves earlier in his career.
He said: “He has done extremely well. He has his roots at Sheffield United and he has been out on loan at Northampton, Aston Villa, QPR, has now got a place in the Tottenham side and is looking to get a place in the England team as well.
“It is a real tribute to him for the way he has been prepared to go out and put experience to good use.”
Click to stay connected with
more stories like this:
more stories like this:
