Rio Ferdinand has argued that Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo is more deserving of a nomination for Player of the Year than Arsenal star Bukayo Saka.
Last week, the Premier League nominees for the Player of the Year award were finally announced.
Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, Joao Cancelo, Kevin De Bruyne, Son Heung-min, Ward-Prowse and Saka are all up for the award.
Saka has been one of Arsenal’s best players this campaign. He has grabbed eleven goals and six assists in 36 Premier League games.
Ronaldo meanwhile returned to Old Trafford last summer. The Red Devils have however endured a terrible season in 2021/22.
They currently sit sixth in the table, but Ronaldo has been one of their only bright sparks. The 37-year-old has netted 18 goals in 30 league matches this term.
Ferdinand believes Ronaldo should be ahead of Saka in the list: “Saka’s in there as a [senior] player of the year nominee? I wouldn’t have had Saka in there yet, as well as he’s done,” Ferdinand argued via his Vibe with Five podcast.
“I wouldn’t have had him ahead of Ronaldo, no, not this season.”
“‘He probably doesn’t win it but in terms of nominees, it’s laughable. He’ll take it as a disrespect but these are the things that fuel him, he’ll be thinking, ‘how dare you?’
“If it’s based on stats, he’s like, ‘I’ve banged in more goals than most of them on that list other than Salah, so what are you talking about?'”
