Man Utd star rivalled by key Celtic player and £25m Aston Villa man for prestigious award

The Scottish Football Writers Association have announced who will be competing for the International Player of the Year award.

Aston Villa man John McGinn, Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, Celtic captain Callum McGregor and Norwich City goalkeeper Angus Gunn are all up for the prize. The winner will receive their award at 2024 SFWA Player of the Year dinner on Sunday 19 May.

It's an award that accounts for all men’s team matches since and including the Euro 2024 qualifiers played last June. Voting closes on March 18th. Aston Villa star McGinn, rated at £25m by Transfermarkt, has been a pivotal figure for the national team in midfield, adding goals to his game, while Man Utd man McTominay scored an impressive seven goals from midfield in dark blue during 2023.

Celtic skipper McGregor has been an ever-present figure in midfield alongside the aforementioned duo, and Gunn has now established himself in the regular category. After injury to Craig Gordon, the Norwich City stopper has stepped up to become the number one.

All four will be certainties to be on the plane to Germany in the summer for Euro 2024, if they avoid injury. Brendan Rodgers has confirmed McGregor currently has an Achilles injury ahead of the latest round of Scotland matches against Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

The Celtic boss said: “It always is if you have your top players and your captain not available. Of course, there will be other players who can come in, but the level that he brings the game to is beyond what a lot of our players can do. Fingers crossed again, we can get to the bottom of that, and he’ll be available after the international break."