Arsenal’s Raya and Liverpool’s Alisson named among candidates for Yashin Trophy award | OneFootball

Arsenal’s David Raya and Liverpool’s Alisson Becker are among the candidates nominated for the Men’s Yashin Trophy, which will be presented on September 22 at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

The Yashin Trophy is an annual award given to the best-performing goalkeeper, named in honour of the iconic Lev Yashin.

Aston Villa and Argentina’s Emi Martinez won the trophy last season, achieving back-to-back victories for the first time in the award’s history after also claiming it in 2023.

Here is the full list of nominees for this season from England’s top flight:

Alisson Becker (Liverpool)

Despite a hamstring injury that sidelined him for over two months, Alisson remained a reliable presence between the sticks for the league champions, keeping ten clean sheets as they secured their first league title since 2020.

The 32-year-old won the award in its inaugural year in 2019, finished as runner-up in 2022, and is now aiming for his second Yashin Trophy.

However, Liverpool have started to look towards the future with the signing of 24-year-old Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, who has featured prominently in the Reds’ line-ups throughout preseason.

Emi Martinez (Aston Villa)

Martinez is in the running for a historic three-peat, having been the recipient of the award in both 2023 and 2024.

The Argentine kept eight clean sheets for Aston Villa in the Premier League last season, helping the club secure a sixth-place finish and Europa League qualification.

Although he was linked with a move to Manchester United this summer, the 32-year-old is now likely to remain in the Midlands for the upcoming season.

David Raya (Arsenal)

Since displacing Aaron Ramsdale for the starting spot at Arsenal, Raya has consistently proven his quality as the Gunners competed on multiple fronts in both the Premier League and Champions League.

The former Brentford goalkeeper has impressed with his exceptional shot-stopping ability and accurate long-range distribution, helping to regularly bring Arsenal’s talented wingers into play as often as possible.

The 30-year-old will be hoping that the upcoming season brings long-awaited silverware to north London, having already won the Premier League’s Golden Glove in each of the past two campaigns.

Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest)

Sels played a pivotal role in Nottingham Forest’s dark horse campaign, sharing the Golden Glove with David Raya after recording 13 clean sheets.

The Belgian international was instrumental in earning valuable points for Forest, who are now set to embark on their first European campaign since 1996, in large part down to the 33-year-old’s outstanding season between the sticks.

Other candidates

Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) and Yann Sommer (Inter Milan) complete the list of nominees for the award.