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The PFA (Professional Footballers' Association) Player of the Year is an annual award bestowed on the player deemed to have had the best year in English football.
This season, there have been some scintillating performances from a host of players from various teams. With the 2020-21 Premier League season nearing its conclusion, many players have staked their claim for the prestigious PFA award.
Top five contenders for the 2020-21 PFA Player of the Year award:
The Manchester City trio of Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw, Tottenham Hotspur duo of Harry Kane and Son-Heung Min are some of the contenders.
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On that note, let's have a look at the top five contenders for the 2020-21 PFA Player of the Year award.
#5 Tomas Soucek (West Ham United)
Tomas Soucek is having his best season in front of goal and has emerged as an outsider for the PFA Player of the Year award.
The West Ham United midfielder has been a vital player in his team's campaign for an unlikely top-4 finish, scoring nine league goals. Soucek is West Ham’s top goal-scorer this season and has been involved in 20% of his team's league goals this campaign.
The Czech Republic midfielder has had an impressive 77% passing accuracy and has completed 11.6 passes per 90 minutes in the final third. Playing at the heart of the Hammers midfield, the Czech forms the team's backbone and is adept in transitioning play from defence to attack.
West Ham are just a point adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea. If Soucek plays his part in ensuring a top-four finish, he would be a strong contender for the PFA award this season.
#4 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Tottenham Hotspur have had an inconsistent league campaign, but Harry Kane has been dominant in front of goal. The Englishman has been involved in 45 goals (29 goals, 16 assists) in 41 games for Spurs across all competitions this season.
The duo of Son-Heung Min and Kane has played a huge role in keeping Spurs in a Europa League spot and perhaps a top-four finish. Despite playing in a midfield that lacks creativity, Kane has managed to find the back of the net on numerous occasions.
The Englishman has an impressive average of 4.4 shots per game, with 1.6 shots on target. The 27-year old leads the Premier League goal-scoring and assists chart.
Harry Kane has an xG (expected goals) of 16.7, making him one of the most feared strikers in European football.
There is hardly anything more Kane can do to lift a dismal Spurs side. But if he can ensure a strong end to the season for his team, he would be a firm favourite for the PFA award.
#3 Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Ruben Dias, a rock in the Manchester City defence, is another strong contender for this season's PFA Player of the Year award. The Portuguese has been in tremendous form for City since his £61.2 million transfer from Benfica.
The 23-year has provided full value for money, playing a vital role in City keeping 14 clean sheets and conceding just 15 goals in 28 Premier League appearances.
Dias has made 21 tackles in the league, coming out on top with an average of 6.2 tackles won per match. The Portuguese is a towering presence in the air as well, winning 3.5 aerial duels out of 5.7 attempted per 90.
Ruben Dias is a threat in front of goal, too, managing to get on the scoresheet in Manchester City's 2-1 win against West Ham in a Premier League game. Pep Guardiola recently said about the player:
"(Ruben Dias) has been so important for the continuity and leadership and for the quality when he has played."
#2 Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City)
It will be difficult to look past Ilkay Gündogan for this season's PFA Player of the Year award, as the German has been the engine room of a rampaging Manchester City side.
Manchester City are looking comfortable at the top of the Premier League table and are among the favourites to win the Champions League as well. A considerable chunk of City's success this season has been due to Gündogan presence in midfield, and in essence, all across the football pitch.
Gundogan has been involved in 20 goals (16 goals, four assists) this season, leading his Manchester City teammates in the Premier League goal-scoring charts, with 12 goals in 23 games.
Ilkay Gundogan has been highly clinical in front of goal, scoring an average of 0.52 goals per match, doing so with an excellent shooting accuracy of 45%. The German's story has been one of redemption and comeback after a horrific cruciate ligament rupture kept him out of the game for almost a year.
#1 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Ilkay Gundogan would take some beating for this season's PFA Player of the Year award, but if anyone can do it, it's Manchester United's, Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese is currently the bookies' favourite to win the PFA award. Considering his performances since his arrival at Old Trafford, it would be an apt reward for him.
Fernandes has turned around Manchester United's fortunes since his arrival. He was the catalyst for the team's resurgence in the second half of last season, propelling the Red Devils to a Champions League spot.
He has performed at an even higher level this season, registering 24 goals and 14 assists to his name, tallying the most goals and assists by a Manchester United player this season.
Bruno Fernandes is second in this season's Premier League assists chart and third in the goal-scoring one.
The 26-year old has had an impressive xG of 14.3 in the ongoing 2020-21 Premier League, with a goal conversion rate of 17%.
Bruno Fernandes could be a deserving winner of this year's PFA Player of the Year award.
