PFA Awards 2024: 10 favourites to win the Young Player of the Year award

FFC takes a look at 10 players who could be in the running to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season.

As excitement for the 2024 PFA Young Player of the Year award grows, a number of up-and-coming players who have mesmerised onlookers with their skill and promise on the field are highlighted. Each competitor, whether they are extraordinary teenagers or gifted wonderkids, embodies the spirit of youth and ambition and represents the beautiful game's future.

With that, here is some important information ahead of the 2024 PFA Young Player of the Year ceremony...

Who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2023?

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka picked up the award in 2023 after fending off competition from the likes of Erling Haaland, Jacob Ramsey, Evan Ferguson and Moises Caicedo.

How old do you have to be to qualify for the PFA Young Player of the Year award?

Players must have been 21 or younger before the 2023/24 season began to be considered.

Here is the list of who we believe are the ten favourites to lift the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2024, based on their overall impact at club level during the current season...

[th]Rank[/th] [th]Player[/th] [th]Club[/th] [th]Position[/th]

1	Cole Palmer	Chelsea	Attacking midfielder
2	Bukayo Saka	Arsenal	Winger
3	Alejandro Garnacho	Manchester United	Winger
4	Kobbie Mainoo	Manchester United	Central midfielder
5	Harvey Elliott	Liverpool	Attacking midfielder
6	Destiny Udogie	Tottenham Hotspur	Left-back
7	Jarrad Branthwaite	Everton	Centre-back
8	Conor Bradley	Liverpool	Right-back
9	Rasmus Hojlund	Manchester United	Striker
10	Lewis Miley	Newcastle United	Central midfielder

10 Lewis Miley

Newcastle United

Lewis Miley has been one of the breakthrough stars in the Premier League this season after being called upon due to an injury crisis at Newcastle United. His ability to break up play and start attacks from sitting just in front of the defence makes him a very valuable player for Eddie Howe to have in his side, and the fact that he's only 17 makes it even more astonishing.

However, his chances of winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award aren't particularly great as he's currently struggling with injury issues amid a pool of talented stars.

[th][b]Lewis Miley Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/th]

Appearances	17
Goals	1
Assists	3

9 Rasmus Hojlund

Manchester United

Rasmus Hojlund had many critics at Manchester United towards the start of his time at the club, as he couldn't hit a barn door, to be brutally honest. However, any doubters have been silenced over the last couple of months. He scored seven goals and laid on two assists in the space of six Premier League games from the end of December, although he recently ended a mini-drought in front of goal against Sheffield United recently.

His goalscoring exploits haven't quite made it possible for him to be any higher on this list, but he does have the opportunity to help the Red Devils win some silverware in the FA Cup in what would be a pretty satisfactory first season in England on a personal level.

[th][b][b]Rasmus Hojlund Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	25
Goals	8
Assists	2

8 Conor Bradley

Liverpool

Conor Bradley has an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold to thank for his run in the side. The Northern Ireland international came out of nowhere and has lit up Anfield, with one goal and three assists in the Premier League, as well as three assists in the FA Cup.

His performances have seen him become an assured starter for Liverpool, even with Alexander-Arnold returning recently.

[th][b][b][b]Conor Bradley Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	10
Goals	1
Assists	3
Clean sheets	2

7 Jarrad Branthwaite

Everton

In what has been a rather disappointing and emotional season for Everton, Jarrad Branthwaite really has been the highlight, which he capped with a goal in the Merseyside derby recently to aid the Toffees' bid for survival.

The central defender has consistently put in solid performances against some of the best attackers in the Premier League, which has even seen him chucked into the England squad.

While he's not likely to win the PFA Young Player of the Year, he may just have played his way into a big move in the summer.

[th][b][b][b][b]Jarrad Branthwaite Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	31
Goals	3
Clean sheets	11
Goals conceded	43

6 Destiny Udogie

Tottenham Hotspur

It's crazy to think that Destiny Udogie is only 21 years of age. The Tottenham Hotspur left-back has been a revelation for Ange Postecoglou's side this season, as a constant menace going forward which has seen him assist three of his teammates.

Despite Spurs only having two clean sheets with him in the side, he's also proved to be very valuable defensively and fits perfectly into Postecoglou's system, with the pace to hunt down defenders when playing a high line and the tenacity to put in accurate challenges.

Sadly, injury issues have halted him at times, which makes his chances of winning this award lower than they perhaps should be.

[th][b][b][b][b][b]Destiny Udogie Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	28
Assists	3
Clean sheets	2
Goals conceded	40

5 Harvey Elliott

Liverpool

Harvey Elliott has been unlucky to not make it into the England senior squad this season. That's how good he's been.

The Liverpool midfielder has come up with vital assists and goals at times, which has seen his tally in all competitions reach three goals and seven assists. His form has also carried over onto the international stage, having scored and assisted 11 goals in his last six appearances for the England Under-21 side.

Despite his efforts, the youngster still isn't a guaranteed starter for the Reds, which has made it difficult for him to really nail down a position in the top three in this list.

[th][b][b][b][b][b][b]Harvey Elliott Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	30
Wins	19
Goals	2
Assists	3

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4 Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United

Kobbie Mainoo is on everyone's radar right now after an unbelievable breakthrough season at Manchester United.

He's saved the Red Devils on a couple of occasions with emphatic late goals, which have single-handedly kept Erik ten Hag's side in the hunt for a European spot. His performances haven't gone unnoticed, as he was recently handed his first England senior cap by Gareth Southgate, with a place in the Euro 2024 squad now looking like a possibility.

As a bit of a late bloomer this season, we can't really place him any further up the list.

[th][b][b][b][b][b][b][b]Kobbie Mainoo Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	19
Goals	2
Assists	1

3 Alejandro Garnacho

Manchester United

Manchester United have a number of exciting talents at the moment, and Alejandro Garnacho may just be the pick of the bunch.

The Argentinian has made the right-wing position his own this season, consistently scoring and providing for his teammates over the past few months. His tally now sits at nine goals and four assists, which have been made possible by his electrifying pace, fearless attitude and dribbling ability to leave many elite-level defenders in his wake.

Sadly for him, the players in the top two of this list have been on another level. Otherwise, he could've been in with a chance of the award.

[th][b][b][b][b][b][b][b][b]Alejandro Garnacho Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	31
Goals	7
Assists	4

2 Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

After picking up the PFA Young Player of the Year award last year, Bukayo Saka is in with a chance of a repeat.

The England star has spearheaded Arsenal's push for the title under Mikel Arteta, with a very respectable 14 goals and eight assists, as well as four goals and four assists in nine Champions League games. He's also established himself as a starter on the international stage for England, constantly displaying his maturity and ability to play at the highest level.

With Arsenal still at the top of the Premier League, this could just tilt it in Saka's favour.

[th][b][b][b][b][b][b][b][b][b]Bukayo Saka Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]

Appearances	32
Goals	14
Assists	9

1 Cole Palmer

Chelsea

Manchester City are surely having huge regrets after letting Cole Palmer join Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

The English youngster is a big favourite to lift the award after an inspired last month or so in the Premier League. He has 25 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, which includes ten goals and two assists in his last five top-flight games. He is even in Golden Boot contention having scored as many as Erling Haaland at the time of writing.

salah-haaland-kane-henry-Premier-League-Golden-Boot

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He's hitting form at the perfect time and still has the opportunity to end his season on a high, with an England call-up surely on his mind ahead of the European Championship.

[th][b][b][b][b][b][b][b][b][b][b]Cole Palmer Premier League Stats (2023/24)[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/th]