AFP’s Premier League Team of the Year

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Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - April 14, 2018 Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

Manchester City's English defender Kyle Walker applauds supporters after the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on August 12, 2017. Manchester City won the game 2-0. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE /

(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 17, 2018 Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the fourth goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Watford at Anfield in Liverpool. Mohamed Salah was on May 1, 2018 named as the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year for 2017/18 after scoring 43 goals so far in an incredible debut season for Liverpool. / AFP PHOTO / Lindsey PARNABY / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

(FILES) This file photo taken on May 21, 2017 shows Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne controling the ball during the English Premier League football match between Watford and Manchester City at Vicarage Road Stadium in Watford, north of London. The Belgian international midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has extended his contract with Manchester City until 2023, the leading club in the Premier League announced on Monday, January 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Manchester United's English midfielder Ashley Young attends a team training session at the club's training complex near Carrington, west of Manchester in north west England on March 12, 2018, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 second-leg football match against Sevilla. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF

Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (top) vies with Manchester City's German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan during the UEFA Champions League first leg quarter-final football match between Liverpool and Manchester City, at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north west England on April 4, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Anthony Devlin

Tottenham Hotspur's Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen (C) controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen first leg football match between Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur at The Allianz Stadium in Turin on February 13, 2018. Miguel MEDINA / AFP

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder David Silva (L) vies with Huddersfield Town's Belgian striker Laurent Depoitre during the English Premier League football match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester City at the John Smith's stadium in Huddersfield, northern England on November 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Tottenham Hotspur's English striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on February 25, 2018. Tottenham won the game 1-0. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Manchester City's Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (R) celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League football match Napoli vs Manchester City on November 1, 2017 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. Sergio Aguero scores club record 178th Man City goal. Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

Goalkeeper
David De Gea (Manchester United)

The 27-year-old remains arguably the world’s top stopper and, with reported interest from Real Madrid, United boss Jose Mourinho has made it clear there is “no chance” he will allow the Spaniard to be sold this summer after another rock-solid season.

Defenders
Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

The England right-back forced his way out of Tottenham last year because he felt City offered a better chance of winning silverware. The move paid rich dividends as Walker celebrated Premier League and League Cup triumphs while his old club finished empty-handed.

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)

Marshalled by the Belgium centre-back, Tottenham boasted one of the Premier League’s most imposing defences, prompting boss Mauricio Pochettino to declare: “He is one of the best in Europe. He looks like a 20-year-old because it is easy for him to run, he’s like my new dog!”

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he does not expect to see the best of Van Dijk until next season. That should be a daunting prospect for opposing strikers after the Dutch centre-back’s superb form following a £75 million ($102 million) move from Southampton in January that made him the world’s most expensive defender.

Ashley Young (Manchester United)

Operating mainly at left-back, Young has emerged as an integral figure in United’s defence after successfully making the transition from his previous role on the wing. “For the last couple of seasons, there were lots of doubts. He is now an important member of our squad,” Mourinho said.

Midfielders
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Although he was pipped to the PFA player of the year award by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, De Bruyne finished the season widely rated as the driving force behind City’s title success. “Maybe in numbers there are guys better than him, but no there is no better player in this season. For me he was the best,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)

“Now you know why I call him ‘Golazo’,” grinned Pochettino as he saluted Eriksen’s sublime contribution to a 3-1 victory that secured Tottenham’s first success at Chelsea for 28 years. Eriksen is Tottenham’s chief creator but, as he showed against Chelsea, he can also conjure superb goals. “You can see he is so important for us. Eriksen makes the team play,” Pochettino added.

David Silva (Manchester City)

While other City stars may have hogged the spotlight, Silva is the quiet catalyst for their success. The diminutive Spaniard’s metronomic passing makes the champions tick and, recognising a tenacious spirit that belies his diminutive stature, Guardiola hailed him as “a huge competitor”.

Forwards
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

The Egypt ace enjoyed an incredible debut season with Liverpool as he rewrote the record books with a goal blitz that makes his £34 million price tag look like the bargain of the century. Salah’s arrival from Roma was greeted with ambivalence after a lacklustre spell with Chelsea, but just nine months later his astonishing 44-goal haul, featuring a record 32 in the league, has catapulted the 25-year-old to superstar status.

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

For all the jokes about Kane’s successful appeal to have a goal credited to him instead of Eriksen recently, it is that ruthless nature that makes the England international “the world’s best striker” according to Pochettino. Kane was at his deadly best throughout another impressive campaign that saw him break Alan Shearer’s Premier League record by reaching 39 goals in a calendar year.

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Aguero, already idolised for his famous title-winning goal in 2012, was enshrined forever as a City legend after becoming the club’s record goalscorer this season. And the Argentine insists Guardiola deserves the credit for his prolific form. “Being able to adapt to Pep’s playing style has a large contributing factor in my form this season,” he said.