Man City’s Nico O’Reilly wins PFA Young Player of the Year

Manchester City's Nico O’Reilly has been recognized as the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season. The 21-year-old midfielder received the prestigious award at the 53rd annual PFA Awards ceremony held in Manchester on Tuesday. O’Reilly secured the win after being voted for by his peers, surpassing five other nominees.

Among the nominees were Manchester City teammate Rayan Cherki, Arsenal's Max Dowman, Bournemouth's Junior Kroupi, Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, and Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha. The PFA Young Player of the Year award is a testament to the outstanding performances of young players throughout the season, as judged by professional footballers themselves.

O’Reilly enjoyed a stellar breakthrough campaign with Manchester City, participating in 53 matches across all competitions and directly contributing to 15 goals. His versatility was evident as he impressed in both midfield and at left-back positions. This recognition follows his earlier win of the Premier League Young Player of the Season award, where he was lauded as one of the campaign's standout young talents.

His contributions were vital to Manchester City's domestic success, including scoring both goals in their 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. O’Reilly's achievement marks another significant milestone in his burgeoning career, establishing him as a key member of Pep Guardiola's squad and continuing Manchester City's strong tradition of producing PFA Young Player of the Year award winners, following in the footsteps of Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, and Phil Foden.