JEFFERSON Lerma fought off stiff competition to become the winner of the Daily Echo/Micky Cave AFC Bournemouth player of the year award for the 2022-23 season.

In one of the closest votes of recent years, the lead changed hands on multiple occasions before Lerma eventually came out on top.

The 28-year-old has missed just one league game this season, playing more minutes for the club than any other player, surpassing 3,000 during last weekend’s game at Crystal Palace.

From almost 1,500 entries from the fans, Lerma topped the poll with 26.4 per cent of the vote.

As well as featuring regularly, Lerma has notched five goals in his 35 Premier League appearances this term, his best tally since his time playing in his native Colombia almost a decade ago.

Lerma’s season got off to the perfect start. He scored the club’s first goal of the season, just two minutes into an opening-day 2-0 win over Aston Villa, to mark their return to the Premier League in style.

The tough-tackling midfielder, who also featured as part of a back three at times earlier in the campaign, found the net again with a fine finish in a 2-2 draw at Fulham in October.

Lerma then fired home a consolation in defeat to champions Manchester City in February, before taking his tally to five for the season with a brace in the 4-1 win over Leeds United last month, which effectively secured Premier League safety.

The Colombia international’s future at Cherries remains uncertain, with his current contract set to expire this summer.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo last weekend, Lerma said: “Everything is possible. I have never rejected an offer from the club.

“We have always been in dialogue and waited to make the best decision for both of us.

“I am very grateful to count on the people here, but now it is time to reach an agreement that works out best for both from any point of view."

Since joining from Levante for a club-record £25million in 2018, Lerma has made 182 appearances for Cherries and could reach 100 Premier League outings should he feature in the final two games of this campaign.

Despite being regularly linked with a move away from the club during his stay in England, Lerma has remained a fixture in the starting XI under all five managers he has played for from Eddie Howe through to Gary O’Neil.

Bournemouth Echo:

Lerma pipped a fellow South American in Neto to win the award.

The Brazilian looked like he could become the fourth successive goalkeeper to lift the trophy, following in the footsteps of Aaron Ramsdale, Asmir Begovic and Mark Travers.

He eventually finished second, just behind Lerma with 23.85 per cent of the vote.

Philip Billing, who also led the standings at one stage, came in third on 22.4 per cent.

The Daily Echo/Micky Cave trophy is named in honour of the former Cherries midfielder, who died in 1984.

Gerry Peyton was the first winner, with others to have claimed the honour including Eddie Howe, Steve Fletcher, Simon Francis and Nathan Ake.

Lerma is set to receive the award next week.