Official: Barcelona midfielder finishes 4th in UEFA Player of the Year ranking for 2022/23

With the Football Awards season just around the corner, UEFA has released the list of the contenders for the Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 season.

And Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has made it to the final top three nominees along with the Manchester City duo of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.

Meanwhile, new Barcelona signing Ilkay Gundogan secured a fourth-place finish in the UEFA Player of the Year ranking for 2022/23.

The veteran superstar finishes ahead of players like Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric, Rodri, and Declan Rice, among others.

The 32-year-old midfielder’s position is well-earned for his contributions for Manchester City last season, as he led Pep Guardiola’s men to a historic treble.

Indeed, Gundogan was a key part of the Manchester City side that won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup.

The German international made 51 appearances for Guardiola’s side across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and registering seven assists. That tally included a match-winning brace against Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

Having made history with City, Gundogan opted to join Barcelona this summer, signing on a free transfer after his contract at the Etihad expired.

The former Borussia Dortmund ace has signed a two-year contract with the La Liga champions with an option for an additional twelve months.

While it is still early days in his career in Catalonia, the veteran superstar is set to play a key role in Xavi’s plans.

And both the player and the club will be hoping to achieve similar success to what he did with Man City last season.