After a fantastic campaign with excellent performances, Bukayo Saka – Arsenal’s best young player, has been nominated for the PFA Premier League Player of the Year and Young Player of the year.
In this season, Saka has a total of 11 goals and 6 assists to his name. As a result, he became one of Arsenal’s standout players, also scoring against Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham.
Before Saka, Arsenal also had 5 excellent young players to win this noble award. Let’s take a look at the 5 Arsenal players who have won the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year, as well as how they fared!
Tony Adams
The PFA Young Player of the Year is considered as a prestigious award given to a player aged 23 and under who has been in outstanding form across the Premier League table (ตารางพรีเมียร์ลีก in Thai) during the season.
Tony Adams has grown from the Gunners youth academy to establish himself as the greatest defender, leader, and legend the club has ever had. Adams won the award during the 1986-1987 season when the Premier League was still known as the First Division. He made 42 appearances and scored six goals as Arsenal finished fourth in the table.
Adams was Arsenal captain for three different decades before retiring in 2002 here. He has erected a statue outside the Emirates, and he is immortal at Arsenal.
Paul Merson
Merson is currently a commentator. Before that, he came from the Arsenal academy and received the Young Player of the Year award in 1988-1989. Arsenal won England in the most dramatic way possible, scoring a last-minute winner at Anfield to steal the title from Liverpool, and Merson scored 10 goals all season.
Merson went on to score 86 goals for the club in 369 games before leaving in 1997 and is regarded as a club’s hero.
Nicolas Anelka
One of the most promising young strikers in the Premier League, Anelka enjoyed a phenomenal two seasons at Arsenal, winning the award in 1999 before moving to Real Madrid.
The Frenchman became the first player from mainland Europe to win the award, and it was well deserved as he scored 17 Premier League goals. His subsequent career was very interesting.
Cesc Fabregas
One of the best young players Arsenal ever had, Fabregas almost helped lead Arsenal to the 2007-08 title, where they were four points behind Man Utd. With seven goals and 19 assists in the Premier League at the age of 19, Fabregas will become one of the best young players to ever play in the Premier League.
Fabregas should have become a club legend but controversially decided to go to Barcelonabefore joining Chelsea.
Jack Wilshere
Wilshere is one of the most talented players to come out of Hale End Academy. He was presented with the award in 2010-11 after a stellar season, leaving Gunners fans in awe with his superb technique and passing ability.
The English player became famous after his dominant performance against a powerful Barcelona. But the injury eventually turned things upside down for him. Wilshere then sadly had to leave Emirates in 2018.
