Premier League Hall of Fame 2023 shortlist revealed

The Premier League 2023 Hall of Fame nominations have been revealed, with former greats from Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and others making the cut for a chance at royalty.

A star-studded 15-man shortlist has been announced, but only three stand a chance of being inducted alongside some of the English top division’s all-time greats.

Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick are the only former players to receive first-time nominations, with Petr Cech and Gary Neville in contention for a second consecutive year.

Defoe never won a league winner’s medal in England, but the former Tottenham Hotspur striker enjoyed success, ranking ninth in the division’s all-time highest goal scorers chart.

The ex-England international netted 162 times across 496 appearances with West Ham United, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Sunderland and Bournemouth.

Carrick enjoyed a trophy-laden 12-year stint with Man United, clinching five league titles while making well over 400 appearances in the division, having previously featured for West Ham and Spurs.

Legendary Man United and Arsenal managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger became the first bosses to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday, taking the tally of high-profile names on the Premier League’s most prestigious roster to 18.

Ferguson’s historic achievements at United, where he won a record 13 league titles during his trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford, earned him a spot in the Premier League’s highly recognised club.

Wenger also made history during his 22-year reign at Arsenal, notably the 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ campaign, rightfully earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.

The Premier League consulted with members of the Awards Panel before deciding to reduce entry numbers this season. However, those numbers will vary during each induction year.

The 15 nominees for the 2023 edition are: Tony Adams (Arsenal), Sol Campbell (Arsenal), Michael Carrick (Manchester United and West Ham United), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Andrew Cole (Manchester United), Ashley Cole (Arsenal and Chelsea), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Les Ferdinand (Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Robbie Fowler (Liverpool), Gary Neville (Manchester United), Michael Owen (Liverpool), John Terry (Chelsea), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), and Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United).