Harry Maguire has named England’s hat-trick hero Raheem Sterling as his Footballer of the Year.
Streling’s brilliant treble in the 5-0 thrashing of the Czech Republic on Friday has only enhanced his reputation as one of the hottest players in Europe.
And Leicester centre-back Maguire reckons his England team-mate Sterling has been the star of the Premier League after scoring 21 goals for club and country this season.
Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate suggested that the 24-year-old winger deserves to add some individual honours to his bulging trophy cabinet – and Maguire agrees after voting for him in the PFA Player of the Year poll.
Maguire said: “I did my vote last week and I went for Raheem.
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“I think he’s been the best player in the Premier League. He’s scoring goals, creating goals and he’s a nightmare to play against.
“He’s taken his game from last year - where people saw the rise of Raheem - to this year where he has gone onto another level.
“I think it’s harsh in terms of the voting in that it should possibly come down to the team that wins the Premier League – and at this stage you don’t know who’s going to win it.
“But I went with Raheem to win it.”
Liverpool ’s Virgil van Dijk is another contender.
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But Maguire has avoided the temptation to vote for a fellow centre-half in favour of a player who he regards as a defender’s worst nightmare.
He added: “I think the only way you can stop Raheem sometimes is to grab him, get tight to him and make contact with him.
“He was really good at the World Cup and in the games in the Nations League he’s been really, really good.
“It’s an exciting time for the country to have him and we should cherish him and look after him while he’s playing at such a high level.
“He’s one of the best players in the Premier League and to have him playing at such a high level and for England is really exciting.”
Maguire returned from Russia as a national hero following England’s progress to the semi-finals in the summer.
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There was also talk of an imminent big-money bid from Manchester United doing the rounds.
It’s been a testing season touched by tragedy at the KingPower Stadium.
Claude Puel was sacked as manager and replaced by Brendan Rodgers last month.
And the club was left in turmoil in November when chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was one of five people killed when his helicopter crashed outside the ground.
Maguire – sent off at Burnley last weekend - insists that the faith Southgate has placed in him proves that he does not need to move to a more high-profile club to keep himself involved with England.
He said: “I think I was the only outfield player in the team at the World Cup who wasn’t playing for a so-called big-six club.
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“There’s always going to be speculation in those circumstances, but I was happy to stay at Leicester and I’ve signed a new deal so the speculation has gone.
“I’m happy as I am. We’ve got a new manager in and things are looking really positive.
“As a footballer, you want to win trophies – and I’m no different to anyone else.
“But in terms of being selected for England, Gareth has that it doesn’t matter what club you play for. It matters how you perform on the pitch.
“I’ve been picked for every squad I’ve been available for. My dream as a young boy was always to play for my country.
“We’ve got a new manager at Leicester and I feel like we can be competing again next year.”
