Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon becomes first player outside the top flight to be nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year

RYAN SESSEGNON is the first player outside of the top flight to be nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The Fulham teenager, 17, has been named on the shortlist for the top award after a sterling season in which he has helped lead his side's Premier League charge.

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And the English star was the youngest nominee of the bunch.

Since the awards began in 1983, nominees have only ever come from the country's top division.

It will only intensify speculation that the 17-year-old is on the shortlist of many big clubs this summer.

Should Fulham fail in their quest to be promoted from the Championship, they face a battle to hold onto the versatile wonderkid.

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SunSport has previously reported Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham are all keeping tabs on the talented teen.

Manchester City duo Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane are leading the charge to bag the prestigious prize.

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The pair been named on the shortlist alongside Ederson Moraes, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Championship star Sessegnon.

The City pair are the stand-out candidates from the six-man shortlist that announced by the PFA on Saturday.

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Sane has hit the ground running at the Etihad after completing his switch to the Premier League from Schalke in 2016.

The 22-year-old has cemented his spot in Pep Guardiola's side after bagging 13 goals and 14 assists in all competitions this season.

But he will face a straight fight with team-mate Sterling for the 2017/18 award.

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Harry Kane, who was also nominated for the PFA Player of the Year Award, was an obvious choice after finding the net 36 times for Tottenham this season.

Ederson was the third City player to be named on the six-man shortlist after an impressive season between the sticks.

Manchester United's only hope for the award is Marcus Rashford, 20, who has scored 12 this season.