The Professional Footballer’s Association have announced their six nominations for the Women’s Players’ Player of the Year award.
Chelsea forward Eniola Aluko, Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze, Karen Carney of Birmingham City, Notts County’s Jess Clarke, Arsenal veteran Kelly Smith and Chelsea’s Korean international Ji So-Yun are all up for this year’s honour.
Eight Women’s Super League clubs will be involved in the voting, alongside 92 Football League clubs from men’s football. However, members are unavailable to vote for a player who represents the same club.
Kim Little of Arsenal was the first player to be awarded the crown, and the newest winner will be announced on April 26.
Amongst this year’s nominees is the current Women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year, Bronze, who will hope to retain her crown after securing back-to-back titles with Liverpool in 2013 and 2014. After a number of successes with the Reds, the defender now hopes to add a few more trophies to her cabinet with new club Manchester City.
Also up for the award is Carney, who is certainly enjoying a year to remember following her recent induction into Birmingham City’s Hall of the Fame.
The 27-year-old made her senior debut at the age of just 14, and lifted the FA Women’s Cup with the Blues in 2012. The twice awarded FA Young Player of the Year also became the youngest England international to earn 100 caps, and is only one of four women to ever reach a century of appearances for the national squad. Carney was also the top scorer in last season’s WSL1.
Following a remarkable debut season in England with Chelsea, So-Yun was recently named the WSL1 Players’ Player of the Year back in November, and the ‘Korean Messi’ will now be hoping to add the PFA honour to her name.
Manager Emma Hayes, believes the South Korean can also add the World Player of the Year title to her ever-growing collection, after she helped guide Chelsea to a second place finish last season and finished the joint-highest assist-maker.
So-Yun has won over 60 caps for her national side and became her country’s youngest ever goalscorers at the tender age of 15.
