Eight young players have been nominated for the Premier League 2 (PL2) Player of the Month award for April 2025.
The nominees have been selected by the Premier League Football Development Panel, who will also decide the winner, with the result being announced later this week.
| Player | Club | Age | Pos. | Goals | Assists | CS* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braiden Graham | EVE | 17 | FOR | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Garang Kuol | NEW | 20 | FOR | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Donnell McNeilly | CHE | 19 | FOR | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Divin Mubama | MCI | 20 | FOR | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Lewis Orford | WHU | 19 | MID | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewis Payne | SOU | 20 | DEF | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kamarai Swyer | WHU | 22 | FOR | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Jack Thompson | NFO | 19 | DEF | 0 | 0 | 2 |
*Clean sheets
Why the players were nominated
Braiden Graham (Everton): The 17-year-old striker began April with an assist in a 4-3 home defeat by Norwich City - but fireworks were to follow. In a thrilling 5-4 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Graham demonstrated his quality with four goals. He rounded off his exceptional month with another creative showing, registering two assists in a 4-2 defeat at Manchester United.
Garang Kuol (Newcastle): Kuol's standout performance in a mixed month for his club came in Newcastle United’s 7-1 thumping of Reading when the winger, who represented Australia as a teenager at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scored two goals and provided two assists.
Donnell McNeilly (Chelsea): The 19-year-old Chelsea forward found the net in every match across the month, as the free-scoring Blues eased to wins against Aston Villa (4-1), Crystal Palace (4-2) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-0). Netting three times in April, McNeilly showed a ruthless efficiency in front of goal.
Divin Mubama (Man City): Earning another nomination after winning the accolade in February, Mubama’s month began with a stoppage-time equaliser against Fulham before a clinical double in City's 4-0 win over Newcastle. But the headline act was another double against Liverpool in the playoffs, the second in extra-time to steal a 2-1 victory.
Lewis Orford (West Ham): West Ham may have been defeated 5-2 by Palace to start the month, but Orford provided a positive with two goals. He followed that up with an assist in a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough before capping things off with a goal as West Ham won 3-1 at home to Sunderland.
Lewis Payne (Southampton): Right-back Payne enjoyed an impressive month as he helped Southampton record two clean sheets from their three matches. Payne produced a strong display in a 3-0 home win over Blackburn Rovers and followed that up with another shutout in a goalless draw at Derby County.
Kamarai Swyer (West Ham): Swyer opened the month with two assists for Orford against Palace. The duo flipped roles in the next match, with Swyer on the scoresheet from an Orford assist in the Hammers' 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough. He closed the month with his third assist in as many games, this time in a 3-1 triumph over Sunderland.
Jack Thompson (Nottingham Forest): Central defender Thompson was a commanding figure as Forest secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Sunderland, with another dominant performance - and clean sheet - as Forest claimed a 2-0 derby victory over Leicester.
2024/25 PL2 award winners
August: Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (Arsenal)
September: Farid Alfa-Ruprecht (Man City)
October: Kiano Dyer (Chelsea)
November: Callum Osmand (Fulham)
December: Harry Howell (Brighton)
January: Dom Ballard (Southampton)
February: Divin Mubama (Man City)
March: Emre Tezgel (Stoke City)
