Premier League - Van Persie named PFA Player of the Year
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was named PFA Player of the Year, while Tottenham Hotspur defender Kyle Walker was the surprise recipient of the Young Player of the Year award.
The Arsenal captain has had arguably the best season of his career, scoring 33 goals in all competitions. His 27 in the Premier League have fired the Gunners up to third place with three games of the season remaining.
"If other people are saying it, it is special, but it is even more special if your opponents are saying it," he told Press Association Sport.
"It is very special because you are playing against them week in week out and every single player does everything to win and in the end if they make up their minds that I'm the best player it is a big honour."
Van Persie may have picked up the top individual honour but he was quick to point out it would not have been possible without his Arsenal team-mates.
"Without them I could not have achieved it," he said. "For example Theo Walcott, he has given me more than 12 assists and I do really appreciate that."
Van Persie is also favourite to follow up this award, which is voted for by all professional footballers in England and Wales, with the Football Writers' Association's prize.
Spurs and England right-back Walker won the young player award ahead of Manchester City striker Aguero, despite the Argentina forward scoring 29 goals for the club so far in his first season in English football.
Walker also beat Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck to the award, which was won last year by Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, and the former Sheffield United man admitted that the recognition came as quite a surprise.
"I was a bit surprised because defenders don't normally get these awards and get the limelight as much as the centre-forwards," he said.
"If you look at the people I was in with then it is a great honour to get the award and hopefully there is more to come.
"It is always an honour to be selected by the people you play against and, like I say, hopefully I can get a few more of these and some medals with Tottenham along the way."
PFA Team of the Year
GK: Joe Hart (Manchester City)
DF: Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United), Leighton Baines (Everton)
MF: Yaya Toure, David Silva (both Manchester City), Gareth Bale, Scott Parker (both Tottenham Hotspur)
FW: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
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