2 Arsenal players make top-4 for Footballer of the Year award | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard both made the top-six for the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award for 2024, but Phil Foden won the prize.

Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard celebrates at the end of during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on April 28, 2024. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Football Writers’ Association named their Football of the Year for 2024 on Friday, with Manchester City’s Phil Foden earning the accolade.

Arsenal’s Declan Rice finished second in the voting, with Rodri coming third. Martin Odegaard was fourth, with Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa and Cole Palmer of Chelsea rounding out the top-six.

Rather strangely, Bukayo Saka wasn’t named in the FWA write-up, despite providing more goals and assists than winner Foden from a similar role.

Saka has directly contributed to 24 Premier League goals so far this season, with Foden contributing to 23. But the Manchester City man won the award, and Saka didn’t make the top six.

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka reacts during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on April 20, 2024. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

Looking at the positives from the voting, it’s nice to see a couple of Arsenal players recognised.

The FWA Footballer of the Year award is voted on by members of the Football Writers’ Association, which includes around 400 football journalists in England.

Rice has certainly had a noticeable impact on Arsenal this season, playing 35 times in the Premier League and providing six goals and eight assists for the Gunners.

More than just the goals and assists, Rice has added leadership and steel to the Arsenal midfield, allowing the likes of Odegaard to express themselves.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal is challenged by Dejan Kulusevski of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 28, 2024. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

With eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League, and 20 goal contributions in all competitions, Odegaard has continued to push on as a player this season.

The 25-year-old Arsenal captain has regularly stepped up in the big games this season, including a vital equaliser early in the campaign against Manchester United, the opening assist against Liverpool at Anfield, and an eye-catching performance against Chelsea in April.

Odegaard’s performances have been more consistent than ever this campaign, and it seems he’s now becoming the player he was once touted to be as a 15-year-old wonderkid.

Rice, Odegaard, and Saka will now look to finish the season strongly and perhaps get involved in the other Player of the Year award ceremonies.