Everton’s Romelu Lukaku nominated for both PFA awards

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has been nominated for both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards.

Belgian striker Lukaku was eligible for both awards as the Young Player gong is open to those aged 23 or under at the start of the season.

Lukaku has been in sensational form for the Toffees this campaign, scoring 24 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions.

23 of those goals have been in the Premier League, putting Lukaku on course to become the first Everton player to win the golden boot since Gary Lineker in 1985.

Lukaku faces some tough competition though if he is going to collect either award.

In the senior category he is up against Chelsea duo N’Golo Kante and Eden Hazard, Man Utd’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez.

Alongside Lukaku in the Young Player category are Burnley’s Michael Keane, Man City’s Leroy Sane, Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Tottenham duo Dele Alli and Kane – who like Rom is nominated for both awards.

The nominations were decided by a vote by PFA members from Premier League and Football League clubs.

The winners will be announced at the PFA Awards ceremony in London on Sunday April 24^th.

Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez scooped the Players’ Player award in 2016 while Tottenham’s Dele Alli was named Young Player of the year.

Only two Everton players have ever been named Players’ Player of Year – Peter Reid in the club’s title-winning 1984-85 season and Gary Lineker 12 months later. No Toffee has ever won the Young Player award.

If Lukaku does win both awards he would become just the fourth player to do so since they were founded in 1974 after Gareth Bale in 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and Andy Gray in 1977.