Premier League 2023-24 Awards: Best manager, best player, worst transfer and much more

The Premier League season is done and dusted, and there is plenty for fans to pore over.

While the title race went right down to the final day, with Manchester City pipping Arsenal to the post, a few other matters were wrapped up a little earlier. That doesn't mean there wasn't a huge amount to talk about, though, with Aston Villa's Champions League qualification and Manchester United's disappointing campaign both catching the eye.

Down the bottom, it was an immediate return to the Championship for Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United. Leicester and Ipswich will take their place next term, with either Leeds or Southampton joining them after the play-off final.

Now that the dust has settled, Mirror Football's team have run the rule over the best and worst of the 2023-24 Premier League season. Without further ado, then, here are our season awards, including Best Manager , Best Player, Biggest Disappointment and a whole lot more.

Scott Trotter

Best manager

Unai Emery. To say the Spaniard is the best may be difficult but it’s been impressive seeing him establish Aston Villa as a Champions League quality side and watching Ollie Watkins flourish in the process. Shoutouts go to the impressive achievements of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Gary O’Neil this term too.

Best player

Phil Foden. When you stand out at the business end of the season in the division's most impressive team, it’s hard to look elsewhere. Kevin De Bruyne threatened to push him hard following his return, while Rodri remains clutch but this was the season Foden truly delivered on the hype.

Who would win if you were handing out the awards? Have your say in the comments section

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. It’s easy to try and be clever with these picks but from three Premier League starts to more goal contributions than anyone else says it all.

If you can't see the poll, click here

Biggest disappointment

That Christopher Nkunku didn’t play more. The Frenchman was a truly elite player arriving into the Premier League and had shown a great deal of pre-season promise before spending most of 2023/24 on the sidelines.

Best transfer

Cole Palmer. The Chelsea star arrived in a surprising deal that wasn’t cheap. Best value deal Chelsea’s ownership have managed in their £1bn spend and save the west London team from a midtable finish.

Worst transfer

Kalvin Phillips. It may have only been a shortlived loan but simply nothing went right at West Ham for the former Leeds star. Most appearances felt like Phillips was cursed in East London as errors led to goals and injury followed.

Biggest moment

Luis Diaz’s wrongly ruled out goal against Tottenham. It appears unlikely to change anything but it was a truly bewildering decision and mesmerising listening when the audio of the incident was released. It was a moment that ensured, at least for 2023/24, there was no respite in criticism of VAR as five seasons of frustration reached breaking point in a single moment (along with every other incorrect decision against your team).

Tom Victor

Best manager

Unai Emery. To take Aston Villa from relegation danger into a Champions League spot in less than two years can't be knocked, and the Spaniard has done it while getting his team playing football that's often easy on the eye. There have been other solid managerial achievements this season, but none to match that of Emery.

Best player

Declan Rice. The loss of Granit Xhaka is the kind of thing that can damage even the best sides, but Rice's arrival allowed Arsenal to shake off the exit of a key cog in Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten season and even look stronger. It's rare for a player to immediately look value for money after a move worth more than £100m, but here we are.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. Considering the uncertainty from some over whether Chelsea were even buying an immediate starter when Palmer joined from Manchester City, the newly-capped England international has gone above and beyond.

Biggest disappointment

The loss of Jurgen Klopp from the Premier League. There will be a huge hole in English football next season, and there's even a case that it will never be possible to fully replace the outgoing Liverpool boss.

Best transfer

Oliver Glasner. Crystal Palace might have panicked after their first attempt to replace Roy Hodgson hit a bump in the road, but Glasner looks perfect for the club. The last few months of the Eagles' season mean there's real excitement about what can happen at Selhurst Park next term, and it hasn't gone unnoticed by Palace fans that he made up a 13-point gap to finish above rivals Brighton.

Worst transfer

Kalvin Phillips. There's an old quote that it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt. Phillips summed that up when he gave away a goal within five minutes of his West Ham debut, and it didn't get much better after that.

Biggest moment

The points deductions handed out to Everton and Nottingham Forest. After years of largely unchecked spending from Premier League clubs, there finally seems to be a recognition that there are real consequences to overdoing it. It will be interesting to see whether the quiet January transfer window it also followed by a low-key summer - at least compared to previous years.

Alex Richards

Best manager

Pep Guardiola. Yes he has the most at his disposal, but he proved again that he’s the best manager in the world, leading City to a fourth successive Premier League crown. City were in a title race until they weren’t, once more ramping up their level when it mattered most and making light of any pressure.

Key men departed last summer and they had to deal for a big portion of the season without Kevin de Bruyne, but he’s handed Phil Foden the keys to the kingdom and the Englishman has flourished, showcasing his remarkable talents with increasing regularity. His development is just another tick in Pep’s box.

Best player

Phil Foden. Silly how good he’s been.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. Silly how good he’s been too.

Biggest disappointment

Burnley. Vincent Kompany’s side stepped into the Premier League being acclaimed by many as the best ever side to be promoted from the Championship. But the Belgian can’t have thought that highly of the team that made it’s way up because he promptly ripped it apart with a host of new players. It never quite worked, the team often looked physically undercooked and tactically naive and to finish below Luton isn’t a good look.

Best transfer

Cole Palmer. Carried Chelsea for a large part of the season. Among their difficult campaign, he embraced the pressure and made it his team.

Worst transfer

Matheus Nunes. Forced his way out of Wolves to join Manchester City - which is fair enough - but then spent most the season on the bench doing nothing and had little impact on, well, anything. Pips Sandro Tonali because at least he did have an on-field impact early on.

Biggest moment

When Arsenal settled at the Etihad. There are many, many moments across the season that decided where the title went. But, ultimately, it came down to the moment they had City on the ropes and didn’t finish them.

Mark Jones

Best manager

Unai Emery has to take the acclaim for leading Aston Villa into the Champions League in his first full season in charge. Villa play some terrific football and they will go toe-to-toe with some European heavyweights next season, making for thrilling games.

Best player

This was the season which taught us why Pep Guardiola was so patient with Phil Foden for so long. Successful teams evolve as new heroes emerge, and with Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland both suffering injury absences, plus a key figure in Ilkay Gundogan moving on, Foden has become his side's main man.

Best breakthrough season

Chelsea's plan to throw together as many young talents as possible and hope it all works out might still be questionable, but Cole Palmer has starred for them all season and became their key player almost overnight.

Biggest disappointment

That we're now four seasons into VAR being used in the Premier League and no closer to the people operating it seemingly knowing what to do with it. This season brought bigger clangers than ever before, and while it won't be scrapped reform is needed.

Best transfer

Declan Rice. Sometimes you just have to go out and pay the money for the player who will solve everything.

Worst transfer

Mason Mount. Not all his fault, admittedly, but he's barely done a thing to improve the Manchester United sideshow.

Biggest moment

It is very rare that you are genuinely shocked by a story in the modern game, but Jurgen Klopp announcing he was leaving Liverpool was one of those moments. In hindsight the attempt to build another great team was probably always going to be better attempted by another man, but the severing of a remarkable union is seismic for the club and the city.

Nathan Ridley

Best manager

Unai Emery. As much as I think the work of Sean Dyche, Andoni Iraola, Eddie Howe and, of course, Pep Guardiola deserves huge credit, I can't look past Emery. What a job he's done. Aston Villa were much-improved after his arrival last season but this term they've been on a different level. What's more is that when we have a surprise package in the top four they've often not had European football to contend with. Villa, though, played a whopping 56 games in all competitions and Emery - no surprise given his renowned work ethic - has hardly missed a beat.

Best player

Phil Foden. Some might say that playing as a forward in arguably world's best team is easier than the jobs which the likes of Ollie Watkins, Martin Odegaard and Cole Palmer have to do, but for Foden to be the standout player in a side like Manchester City's is even more impressive in my opinion. Still only 23, the England international has become undroppable this season - as much as you can be under Pep Guardiola anyway - and silenced any lingering critics. Foden's decisive and sublime opener against West Ham summed up his influence on a team filled to the brim with talent and experience, and we could well be seeing final-day heroics like that for the next decade.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. There's just no question. After being on the peripheries at City, the 22-year-old has burst onto the scene with a stellar campaign. Stats can sometimes misguide us but to illustrate the Chelsea star's brilliance, look no further 33 goal contributions in 34 Premier League games. Mega.

Biggest disappointment

Marcus Rashford. We should've really seen it coming. Much like the rest of Manchester United's big hitters, Rashford was on the decline at the back end of last season and took his struggles into the new campaign - not for the first time either. Seven league goals in more than 2,000 minutes is the kind of return you'd expect from a wide forward who's cutting his teeth at United, not one in his eighth full season as a senior player. He'll be fortunate to make the provisional England squad tomorrow and if Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to make a statement ahead of next season, selling Rashford would certainly do so.

Best transfer

Cole Palmer (again). Regardless of whatever talent you see, spending £42.5million on a player who's made a grand total of five first-team starts is a major gamble. Todd Boehly and co have wasted plenty of money over the past two years but this deal is already a guaranteed success. Whether Palmer fires the Blues back towards the top of European football or gets sold to a better team for a significant profit, Chelsea’s coffers will be much healthier for it than compared to his deadline-day arrival.

Worst transfer

Mason Mount. £55m. 19 games. One goal. One assist. Enough said.

Biggest moment

Jurgen Klopp announces he's leaving Liverpool. I was 15 when Klopp took charge of Liverpool, so purely from a personal perspective, it was quite poignant when the news of his departure broke and sent shockwaves around world football. Along with rival Guardiola, Klopp has shaped the Premier League as we know it and woken a sleeping giant. Like the 2023-24 season, though, all good things come to an end.

Daniel Orme

Best manager

Pep Guardiola. I know it’s boring to go for the eventual champion but it is certainly noteworthy what the Spaniard has achieved this season. Four Premier League titles in a row is a historic achievement and Guardiola should be lauded for reaching such lofty heights at the Etihad.

Best player

Ollie Watkins has to take this one. Everyone knew the Aston Villa forward was a talented striker but he has taken his performances to new levels this term. 19 Premier League goals is an excellent return, while Watkins also provided the most assists in the league with 13. It’s hard to argue that Villa would have finished where they did without the former Exeter City star in their side.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. While the Chelsea forward had been afforded fleeting chances for Manchester City in the past, the 2023/24 season is the first he has really announced himself as a Premier League player. The most goal contributions in the league is a stunning return for a player who was part of a side that struggled for large swaths of the campaign.

Biggest disappointment

Okay so it’s not an individual player but the fact that the three promoted clubs have already gone straight back down. Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton looked so far off the pace throughout the majority of the campaign and it just shows how big the chasm is between the Premier League and the Championship.

Best transfer

Cole Palmer. After being linked with loan moves to the Championship in the summer, he has gone on to become the most productive player in the top flight. The fact that a £42m fee now looks like a bargain indicates just how good he has been.

Worst transfer

Matheus Nunes. Despite City claiming yet another title, Portuguese midfielder Nunes was largely a peripheral player. He made just nine Premier League starts after a £53m move from Wolves. Would City have won the league without him? Yes. Do Wolves miss him? Probably not. That’s all you need to know.

Biggest moment

Stefan Ortega’s save against Son Heung-min. Okay so there've been some momentous moments but this one basically decided the destination of the title. Without it, Arsenal would have been crowned as champions. It’s a cliche but it really does go down as another ‘Kompany goal against Leicester’ moment.

Ben Husband

Best manager

Ange Postecoglou. Reverse their season and the narrative around his first season in charge would be very different indeed. Yes they stuttered a little bit in the second half, but there seems real optimism compared to where they were 12 months ago. Unai Emery is of course another contender, but after losing Harry Kane on the eve of the season, Postecoglou has done some really impressive work.

Best Player

Phil Foden. After years of being questioned, Pep Guardiola had the last laugh when it came to the City academy product. One of the best players in world football, thriving in a system which suits him perfectly. PLEASE take note Gareth.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer for the reasons literally every other person has mentioned.

Biggest disappointment

Can something be a disappointment when you had no expectations for it anyway? I suppose knowing something is completely useless and then being surprised at just how terrible it is, probably warrants an inclusion. Anyway, VAR.

Best transfer

Wolves managing to get more than £50m for Matheus Nunes, a player who didn’t want to be there and didn’t contribute that much anyway was unbelievable business. Tommy Doyle coming the other way for around £5m makes it even better. Wolves haven’t missed Nunes, City didn’t need him.

Worst transfer

Reverse everything in the answer above please. Nunes getting the hook at half time during City’s defeat at Molineux could have probably been the next answer as well in fairness.

Biggest moment

Football doesn’t create too many ‘where were you’ moments in the 21st century, but the announcement Jurgen Klopp was leaving certainly reached that threshold. I’m still of the opinion it didn’t help Liverpool in the title race, but it did give everyone a chance to get used to it. It will still be very strange next season though.

Kieran King

Best manager

Unai Emery. Although Sean Dyche, Andoni Iraola and undoubtedly Pep Guardiola were close contenders, I cannot look past Emery. The Spaniard has transformed Aston Villa from a side battling near the bottom of the Premier League when he took over to a Champions League team in just over 18 months. A remarkable achievement.

Best player

Phil Foden. Manchester City have quality in virtually every department, but Foden has showed this season why he is one of the most important members of that squad. His brace on the final day - which took him to 19 Premier League goals this season - vindicated the decision to name him as the best player.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. Question marks were raised when Chelsea paid £42million to sign Palmer from Manchester City last summer, but the 22-year-old has already proven why the Blues paid that much to sign him. He has finished the Premier League season on a staggering 22 goals and 11 assists.

Biggest disappointment

Antony. Yes, he didn't set the world alight during his first season in English football, but Antony has declined drastically this campaign. The Brazilian has scored just one goal and added one assist in 29 appearances. That is woeful for any Premier League player, yet alone someone who cost £82m...

Best transfer

Declan Rice. You could make a very strong argument for Palmer to also slot into this category, but I have gone for Rice. The midfielder, who joined Arsenal from West Ham for £105m last summer, has taken the Gunners to the next level and has been sensational this season. A superb signing.

Worst transfer

Romeo Lavia. After impressing in his breakthrough season at Southampton, Lavia joined Chelsea last summer for a staggering £58m. However, the 20-year-old has made just ONE Premier League appearance since moving to Stamford Bridge, a 32-minute cameo against Crystal Palace. A no brainer, this.

Biggest moment

Everton deduction. Shockwaves were sent around the world when the Toffees were handed a 10-point deduction for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules back in November. It was the largest ever points punishment in top-flight history, and although Everton have been given four of those points back, it felt like a massive moment in footballing history. Since then, Nottingham Forest have been docked points and it is looking like Leicester City and others may follow...

Daniel Marsh

Best manager

Unai Emery. The Spaniard made a significant impact at Villa Park last season but I don't think many people had Aston Villa down for a top-four finish. Emery has done a remarkable job and deserves all the plaudits he gets.

Best player

Phil Foden. Manchester City have an embarrassment of riches but this year felt like the Foden show. He's elevated his game to new heights and managed to stand out above the rest of City's expensively-assembled all-star cast. And that's no mean feat.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer. If Foden has defied expectations this season, then how do you sum up Palmer's impact at Chelsea? He's been sensational and it doesn't bear thinking about where Mauricio Pochettino's side would be without his 33 goal contributions in the Premier League this season. Bringing him in was an absolute masterstroke by a hierarchy who have got more wrong than right over the past two years.

Biggest disappointment

Burnley. I quietly fancied Burnley to survive comfortably this year after tearing their way through the Championship but Vincent Kompany and co have gone straight back down. The fact that they've finished below Luton, last year's play-off winners who have a far weaker squad, speaks volumes about the Clarets' season.

Best transfer

Cole Palmer. Easy answer. Given the way transfer fees have gone through the roof in recent years, at £42.5million, Palmer has proven to be exceptional value for money. A rare Chelsea win.

Worst transfer

Mason Mount. It's not all his fault (injuries have played a major part) but it's been a bitterly disappointing campaign for the former Chelsea man.

Biggest moment

Jurgen Klopp announcing he was leaving Liverpool already feels like one of those moments where you'll remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. Seismic. In terms of games, the draw between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Etihad stands out. Pep Guardiola's side are a different machine when spring blooms - it always felt like Arsenal would need to beat them on their own patch if they were to beat them to the title.

Darren Wells

Best manager

Unai Emery. Aston Villa are in the Champions League. Enough said, really.

Best player

Phil Foden. Just immense all season. Was City's key man on the final day - just like much of the rest of their campaign. Two hat-tricks, 19 goals - including some stunners. A joy to watch.

Best breakthrough season

Cole Palmer is the obvious one and deservedly so after a remarkable season that showcased his talent. Given enough has been said about him already on this list, I'll give a special mention to Kobbie Mainoo, who should be on the plane to Germany this summer and has been one of Manchester United's best players.

Biggest disappointment

There have been a few but Tottenham's 'title challenge' seems a distant memory now. I love Ange Postecoglou's style of football. It's great to watch and Spurs looked the real deal after the opening matches. Injuries decimated their squad and their chances as their season drifted completely. Realistically, they were never going to win it, but it would have been interesting to see how far they could have gone.

Best transfer

Again, it's hard to look past Cole Palmer. There won't be many who would have expected that sort of impact when he signed from Manchester City. Notable mentions go to Tottenham's Mickey van de Ven and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister who will repay their transfer fees in no time.

Worst transfer

Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabia. Remember him?

Biggest moment

It's probably not one that will stand out given they ultimately failed to claim the title, but Arsenal's 1-0 win over Manchester City in October - their first in the Premier League since 2015 and in 16 attempts - was a significant step for Mikel Arteta's side. They're getting closer...

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