Two Nigerian-born youngsters, Arsenal of England left-winger, Bukayo Saka and Chelsea striker, Tammy Abraham have both missed getting nominations for this season’s best youngster player award in the English Premier League, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although Saka had a remarkable breakthrough season with The Gunners from beginning till end of the season and Abraham hit a blistering start to the campaign with an impressive rain of goals for The Blues, both players were surprisingly left out of the list of nominees announced on Friday.
Details of the development out of Queensland reveal that Saka and Abraham, who both got full England national team caps that ruled them out of eligibility for Nigeria’s Super Eagles earlier in the season, are among five promising lads that were left out of the roll call of nominees.
Other talented performers yet surprise absentees that miss out alongside 18-year-old Saka and Abraham (aged 22) are West Ham United’s Declan Rice (21), Chelsea’s Reece James (20) and Burnley’s Dwight McNeil (20); while three Manchester United attackers – Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial – all make the cut.
It means Saka and Abraham will not have the pleasure of picking the inaugural TAG Heuer Young Player of the Season Award, which is for players that were aged 23 or under as at the start of the 2019/20 season, with eventual winner billed to emerge from a collated vote of EPL fans.
A report by Daily Mail added: “Martial will turn 25 later this year but was still included. The Frenchman scored 17 league goals this season, with Rashford matching that tally. Greenwood, meanwhile, found the net on ten occasions.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold, who played a key part as Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a league title, is certainly the favourite for the award. In addition to excelling defensively, the right-back provided 13 assists.
“Chelsea duo Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount have also been nominated for the prize. Pulisic dazzled in the closing stages of the campaign especially, while Mount stepped up impressively in his first season in the Premier League.
“Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, who scored eight goals and provided six assists as his side preserved their Premier League status, completes the list of nominees. Grealish will be 25 next month.
“One surprising omission from the list of nominees is Bukayo Saka, with the Arsenal starlet failing to make the cut despite enjoying an impressive breakthrough campaign during which he excelled in various positions. Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham scored 15 Premier League goals but wasn’t included. Fans are able to vote until 6pm on August 10 on TAG Heuer’s website.”
