The shortlist of six for the Women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year award includes England and Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly.
The Professional Footballers’ Association laid out the claims to the honour of the half-dozen remaining contenders.
Last year’s winner Sam Kerr enjoyed another outstanding campaign for Chelsea. She scored 29 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions for Emma Hayes’ team, playing an instrumental role in their charge towards a third-straight WSL and FA Cup double.
Kerr could join Lucy Bronze and Chelsea team-mate Fran Kirby in becoming a two-time winner. Guro Reiten will be pushing Kerr for the award after an equally impressive campaign for the Blues with 13 goals and 19 assists. The Norway international shone in the final third and would be the fourth overseas player to claim the award.
Reiten’s compatriot Frida Maanum was one of the stars of the season for Arsenal, helping the Gunners to defeat Chelsea in the League Cup final. Maanum was nominated for Young Player of the Year last term but has now taken her game to the next level for club and country. Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw produced a brilliant WSL season, scoring 20 goals in just 21 appearances, along with seven assists.
But, even Shaw’s exploits in front of goal were eclipsed by Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly, who finished the campaign as the WSL’s top scorer with 22 strikes in her first season with the Villains, including two hat-tricks against Reading. Ona Batlle was extremely impressive in her final season at Manchester United, tallying nine assists as the Red Devils finished second, narrowly behind Chelsea in the race for the WSL title.
Each player has put forward a great case, but for this prestigious accolade, which is voted exclusively by their WSL peers, there can be only one PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
The PFA will announce the winners at their 50th Awards ceremony on 29 August.
Women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year Nominees
Ona Batlle – Manchester United
Rachel Daly – Aston Villa
Sam Kerr – Chelsea
Frida Maanum – Arsenal
Guro Reiten – Chelsea
Khadija Shaw – Manchester City
