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It is that time of the year when players and journalists come together to decide who has been the top players of the season. Celtic have swept their way to the Premiership title, and BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart has discussed his candidates for star of the season.
Kevin van Veen (Motherwell) is Stewart’s first pick for the season. Van Veen has scored 21 league goals and has shown his physical presence, goal threat, and other attributes. His link-up play is also superb, and he is 31 years old. Goalscorers are worth their weight in gold, and Van Veen has certainly proven that this season.
Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes (Aberdeen) is Stewart’s next pick. His raw pace and energy causes major problems for opponents, and if Aberdeen finish third, it would be hard to look beyond him as a contender.
Mark O’Hara (St Mirren) has been a huge asset this season, scoring big goals and showing his leadership. He has grown into the role of being the leader of the team and will be riding high right now.
Lawrence Shankland (Hearts) is another player who cannot be overlooked. He has scored so many goals this season, and his general performance level has not dipped. He scored a brilliant effort at Rugby Park last month, and managed to get a hat-trick against Ross County a few weeks ago.
Callum McGregor (Celtic) is Stewart’s next pick. McGregor is Mr Consistent and commands total respect among his team-mates. He can play in a number of positions and when Broony dropped out for a few games, McGregor was magnificent in the deep-lying role.
Reo Hatate (Celtic) is Stewart’s standout in the Celtic team. He is a complete midfielder who does incredible work off the ball in those areas. He brings an intensity to his play that is the big difference between Celtic and the rest, and he has scored some incredible goals this season.
Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) has gone up a level this season, scoring goals and showing his quality. After the World Cup, he really kicked on and he could be put into an international team with no problem at all.
Finally, Michael Stewart talks about Nicolas Raskin (Rangers). Raskin has not been there for long but has caught the eye and looks like a good bit of business. He has shown signs of positivity for the future and could be one to watch.