da betsson： The race for the English top-flight's biggest individual prize has been incredibly open all season long, with a host of clubs represented
da bet sport： The 2023-24 Premier League season is now wrapped, and Manchester City have finished top of the pile once again. Erling Haaland picked up another Golden Boot to help his side secure a record-breaking fourth successive crown, but failed to defend his Premier League Player of the Season crown from 2022-23 after being overshadowed by Phil Foden, who proved to be the ultimate difference-maker in a squad full of world-class operators.
Foden ran away with it in the end, seeing off competition from a host of Arsenal stars as Mikel Arteta's side were pipped by City on the final day, while Jurgen Klopp was left beaming with pride at his Liverpool squad after ending his nine-year reign at Anfield with a third-place finish. Meanwhile, Unai Emery managed to deliver Champions League qualification for Aston Villa after lifting several players to new heights, including Ollie Watkins, who has put himself into contention for a big role for England at Euro 2024.
Tottenham came in fifth, led once again by the South Korea sharp-shooter Son Heung-min, and although Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United all under-achieved, they were kept in the European reckoning by certain individuals that refused to allow their own standards to slip.
So without further ado, GOAL brings you our final rankings for the 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season award after 12 months of thrills, spills and breathless drama…
Getty16Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
West Ham weren't able to ride the wave of their 2022-23 Europa Conference League success for long, but did still manage to record another top-half finish under departing boss David Moyes. A lot of the credit must go to Jarrod Bowen, who scored the winner in their now famous final victory over Fiorentina last May, as he's improved his finishing to help the Hammers become one of the most effective counter-attacking sides in the Premier League.
The 27-year-old racked up 16 Premier League goals, 10 more than he managed in the whole of last term, and his stunning hat-trick in a 4-2 away win at Brentford will live long in the memory. Bowen has also managed to set up another six as the focal point in West Ham's attack, forcing his way into the England squad as a result, and might find himself on the radar of a number of top clubs in the summer transfer window.
AdvertisementGetty 15Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
It's no exaggeration to suggest that Manchester United would have been fighting to avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight had it not been for Bruno Fernandes. Erik ten Hag's side were dire as a collective throughout the season, and won't be playing Champions League football next term as a consequence, but Fernandes can still hold his head up high after a string of superb individual performances.
The Portuguese has somehow managed to record 18 goal involvements in this terrible United team, leading by example with his work rate and exceptional passing range. Fernandes does divide opinion among neutrals with his theatrics and body language, but there is no denying his quality.
If United are to start building towards a far brighter future under new minority owners INEOS, it's imperative that Fernandes is right at the centre of the project. The Red Devils are lucky to have the magical 29-year-old, who would probably get into the starting XI at every other elite club in Europe.
(C)Getty Images14Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
There was a lot of pressure on Son to deliver for Spurs this season. After Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich, the South Korea international became the main man in the team, which was further underlined by Ange Postecoglou's decision to hand him the captaincy.
By his own admission, the 2022-23 campaign was Son's most disappointing in a Tottenham shirt to date. However, the 31-year-old has shown he still has plenty left in the tank while swapping between his usual position on the left and a central striker role this term.
Son netted 17 goals, including three across two pulsating north London derby games against Arsenal, showing once again that he is peerless when it comes to the art of finishing. Spurs may have missed out on the Champions League, but Postecoglou's first season in charge must still be deemed a success, and Son certainly seems to be enjoying his football again under the no-nonsense Australian.
Getty13Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
City are still one of the best defensive sides in England, which is mainly down to the presence of Dias, who is one of the few players in Guardiola's line-up that doesn't seem to be at risk of rotation when fully fit. The Portuguese is a master defender with superb positional sense and excellent technical qualities, and always takes on a leading role in his partnerships with Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake.
John Stones' continued struggles with injury robbed Dias of his main right-hand man, and he had his share of setbacks earlier in the season, but it's impossible to keep such a smooth operator down for long. Dias was front and centre once again as the general in Guardiola's ranks at the business end of the campaign, and one of the main reasons that City have been able to continue their unprecedented dominance of English football.