Ranking the Contenders for Premier League Player of the Year.

As the 2025/26 Premier League season enters its final stretch, many things are up for discussion. Who will win the league title race between Manchester City and Arsenal, who will qualify for the Champions League and who will be relegated? Another prize up for debate is who will be crowned Player of the Year for this season.

With only City and Arsenal in the title shake-up this season, the winner of this season’s award is likely to come from someone from either of those teams, but there are plenty of contenders from sides not competing for the title.

With that in mind, below, we have put together a list of our top 5 contenders to be crowned this season’s Player of the Season and why we feel they are in the conversation for the award.

Player of the Year Contenders

Declan Rice, Arsenal

If Arsenal do go on and lift their first Premier League title since 2004, England midfielder Declan Rice will have played a major role in the London club earning their success. Signed as a holding midfielder for around £100 million in 2023, it became clear early on that playing at the base of a top-level team did not get the best out of the former West Ham player.

Cue a move to the left side of Arsenal’s midfield three, and Rice has developed into one of the best midfielders in the league. From this position, Rice has shown he is capable of driving his team forward as he has developed into a complete box-to-box midfielder. His set-piece delivery has also helped Arsenal become the best set-piece team in England.

Erling Haaland, Manchester City

When Haaland was flying earlier in the season, banging in goals left and right, it appeared obvious that another Player of the Season award was incoming for the Norwegian superstar. He may be in the middle of a lean spell, goals-wise, at the minute, but his 22 goals so far in the Premier League have played a major role in City being in this title race with just 10 games to go.

Haaland’s game has developed this season, however, and he is now helping his team in more ways than just being that out-and-out goalscorer. His work on defensive set plays has really shone this season, as has his general work rate in helping his side. He has also provided 7 assists, the joint second highest amount in the league, meaning he has had 29 goal contributions at the time of writing.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United

Even when United were struggling for consistency under Ruben Amorim, and Fernandes was playing deeper than ideal for a player with his qualities, he was still a major attacking force for his team. The form of the team meant he was never going to be in the discussion for player of the year, though, but since Michael Carrick has taken over and he has switched back to his No. 10 role, he has been absolutely brilliant for his team.

13 assists at the time of writing, the most in the league, as well as 7 goals and the most chances created in the league, mean Fernandes is doing more than enough individually to deserve to be in the player of the year conversation. The fact that the team collectively is now performing well also, with United up to 3rd and really pushing to secure that Champions League spot, can only help Fernandes in his bid.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Arsenal

The big Brazilian defender has been a major force in Arsenal’s rise to the top of the Premier League table this season, contributing at both ends of the pitch. He has been rock steady in helping his side to the best defensive performance in the league, conceding just 22 goals in 29 games.

Gabriel, who will hope to also play a major role for Brazil in this summer’s World Cup, has also aided his team with 7 goal contributions as Arsenal look to secure the title ahead of Manchester City. If they are going to claim some silverware, that back 5 of Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, David Raya and Piero Hincapie are going to have to be at their best over the final 9 games, but with Gabriel marshalling them, you wouldn’t put it past them.

Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City

Even though Semenyo was brilliant for Bournemouth in the first half of this season, it's hard to imagine the Ghana international being involved in this kind of a discussion had he not made his big move to Manchester City in January.

Semenyo had 10 league goals and 3 assists for Bournemouth, and since his move to City, he has added another 4 league goals and 1 assist, bringing his total goal contributions this season to 18.

He also showed what a good professional he is by sticking around at Bournemouth and playing 2 extra games for the club against Arsenal and Spurs, even after his deal was all but agreed. That professionalism was rewarded when he got to sign off with Bournemouth in the best possible way, with a stoppage-time winner against Spurs at the Vitality.

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