Niko O’Reilly has been awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year. Upon receiving the accolade, the 21-year-old Manchester City star expressed his gratitude towards Pep Guardiola for his faith in him.
Last season, O’Reilly emerged as a key player for the team, netting nine goals despite spending much of the campaign in an unfamiliar left-back position.
He said:
Pep has been a fantastic coach. He put his trust in me, and I can only be grateful. He has helped me tremendously both on and off the pitch and has helped me grow as a person. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing here today. Thank you to him.
This recognition from fellow players, with whom I’ve played and against, means a lot to me. It's a huge honour. The players who’ve received it before have gone on to achieve great success.
O’Reilly is now the fourth Manchester City player to receive this award since the Premier League's inception, joining the likes of Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, and Phil Foden in this elite group.
