With the 2024/25 Premier League season completed, teams have already begun to prepare for the following season. Rather than wallow in their failures or bask in their glory for too long, they must work hard during the summer transfer window, and clubs are already significantly improving their teams.
Rayan Cherki and Florian Wirtz have already brought their talents to the English top flight, and there will almost surely be many more stars joining the Premier League before the window closes later this summer. Having said that, the division already has some outstanding players, and the upcoming season promises to be fascinating.
These are the 20 top Premier League players right now, based on a variety of ranking metrics (details below).
Ranking Factors
How successfully they have begun the current Premier League season.
Their performances since entering the English top flight.
Importance for their respective sides.
Forwards’ goals and assists have been taken into account.
Notable performances from recent seasons.
20-16
Moises Caicedo, Bruno Guimaraes, Ryan Gravenberch, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo
Moises Caicedo and Ryan Gravenberch have had standout seasons in the English top tier, establishing themselves on the Premier League scene. The former struggled at Chelsea after joining in 2023, but has since established himself as one of the club’s most vital players. The latter struggled initially after moving to Liverpool, but improved last season and was a constant in Arne Slot’s title-winning Liverpool.
Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United stands between the two. The Brazilian was one of the Magpies’ first major acquisitions after being taken over, and he’s shown to be an excellent commercial decision. He serves as the club’s engine and the team’s heart.
Matheus Cunha joined Manchester United from Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, becoming one of the club’s first major transfers. The Brazilian scored double-figure goals for a team that appeared to be heading for relegation, and he could be a good addition to the Red Devils’ roster.
Bryan Mbeumo is another player who could end up joining United. The winger has attracted interest from both the club and Tottenham Hotspur, and it’s easy to understand why. He’s starred for Brentford, and if he leaves this summer, his loss might be as devastating as Thomas Frank’s.
The Best Premier League Players, 20-16
Rank
Player
Position
Club
Nationality
20.
Moises Caicedo
CDM
Chelsea
Ecuador
19.
Bruno Guimarães
CM
Newcastle
Brazil
18.
Ryan Gravenberch
CM
Liverpool
Netherlands
17.
Matheus Cunha
ST
Manchester United
Brazil
16.
Brian Mbeumo
RW
Brentford
Cameroon
15-11
Philip Foden, Alexis MacAllister, Gabriel Magalhaes, Cole Palmer, and Florian Wirtz
After a spectacular 23/24 season, Phil Foden had a disappointing season last time out, but that doesn’t diminish his talent. The Englishman is one of the league’s sharpest attackers and should make a strong comeback when the 2025/26 season begins.
Alexis Mac Allister has performed admirably under Slot’s cautious scrutiny. Liverpool’s central midfielders, thanks to Mohamed Salah’s red-hot form in front of goal, frequently go unnoticed yet play a critical role in how the Dutch strategist sets up on Merseyside.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes, who ‘has an aura’ in north London but is frequently overshadowed by William Saliba, has risen to the top 15 after a string of great performances and goals last season.
Where would Chelsea be without the dependable Cole Palmer? The fortitude to move from Manchester to west London was admirable, but the 23-year-old’s 27 goals from last season show he made the correct decision. He maintained his impressive form last season, scoring 15 goals and assisting nine times in 37 top-flight appearances. Enzo Maresca has incredible talent at his disposal.
After what seemed like an eternity, Florian Wirtz’s move to Liverpool has finally been announced, and while the Reds made him the most expensive transfer in club history, they are getting someone who has quickly become one of the top players in the Premier League. He was a creative force at Bayer Leverkusen, and even if he only has half the influence at Anfield, he’ll be a fantastic signing.
The Best Premier League Players – 2015-11
Rank
Player
Position
Club
Nationality
15.
Phil Foden
CAM
Manchester City
England
14.
Alexis MacAllister
CM
Liverpool
Argentina
13.
Gabriel Magalhaes
CB
Arsenal
Brazil
12.
Cole Palmer
CAM
Chelsea
England
11.
Florian Wirtz
CAM
Liverpool
Germany
10-6
Bruno Fernandes, Alisson Becker, William Saliba, Alexander Isak and Rodri
Manchester United has had a difficult period recently. This was the club’s worst Premier League season to date, but things could have been far worse without Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the park. He’s been a creative force since joining the team, and that hasn’t changed throughout the 2024-25 season.
Since joining from AS Roma in the summer of 2018, few – if any – shot-stoppers have been able to match Alisson Becker’s performances between the sticks. Not only has he won everything there is to win, but his diverse skill set makes him a one-of-a-kind and valuable player for Liverpool.
Nobody predicted what William Saliba would do in Arsenal colours following a succession of loan spells abroad. Defensively imperious, it would be tough to find a centre-forward on the planet – including none other than Erling Haaland – who could put the Bondy-born jewel through his paces.
Newcastle United have made numerous extremely shrewd and substantial signings since their large-scale purchase several years ago. No one has been more significant than Alexander Isak, who appears to be improving year after year in England. The Swede has been in the finest form of his Magpies career over the last year, scoring freely as they returned to the Champions League.
After missing the majority of the season due to injury in 2024/25, Spain and Manchester City midfield maestro Rodri has dropped out of the top five, but while healthy, he remains one of the top flight’s greatest players. The ex-Atletico Madrid midfielder is unparalleled among his positional counterparts because he is combative, comfortable in possession, and frequently scores vital goals. His poorly timed ACL injury drops him to sixth place. However, if he hadn’t been injured throughout the season, there’s an argument to be made that he could be number one after winning the Ballon d’Or.
The Best Premier League Players: 10-6
Rank
Player
Position
Club
Nationality
10.
Bruno Fernandes
CAM
Manchester United
Portugal
9.
Alisson Becker
GK
Liverpool
Brazil
8.
William Saliba
CB
Arsenal
France
7.
Alexander Isak
ST
Newcastle United
Sweden
6.
Rodri
CDM
Manchester City
Spain
5-1
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Erling Haaland, Virgil Van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah
Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s poster boy, ranks fifth. The Hale End graduate, regarded as his team’s most vital player, has lacked adequate cover in his position and, as a result, has been an ever-present for Arteta in recent seasons – but his output has never dwindled. Last season, an injury held him out for a long, emphasising how essential he is to Arsenal.
Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal had fans wondering if he’d be able to recreate his West Ham United success – but, of course, he has. As active as ever, the Englishman has functioned like a ticking metronome in the London club’s engine room, going from strength to strength and adding to his goal tally.
The following is the inevitable. Erling Haaland, previously of Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian record-breaker, a goal-scoring machine, began the season as prolific as ever, but his incredible rate reduced throughout the season. The striker had a terrible year, but he still scored 32 goals across all competitions. If that doesn’t show you how good he is, nothing will.
The towering Virgil van Dijk, regarded as one of the top centre-backs in Champions League history, sits second in the standings, succeeding the aforementioned Saliba as the league’s best and most consistent central defender.
Mohamed Salah has been a revelation for Liverpool since joining in 2017, becoming the Premier League club’s all-time leading scorer. While many expected him to go off in the post-Jurgen Klopp era, the Egyptian enjoyed one of his greatest seasons during Arne Slot’s first year in charge, helping the Reds win only their second Premier League championship. There is no doubt that he is the finest player in the Premier League right now, if not the entire globe!
The Best Premier League Players, 5-1
Rank
Player
Position
Club
Nationality
5.
Bukayo Saka
RW
Arsenal
England
4.
Declan Rice
CM
Arsenal
England
3.
Erling Haaland
ST
Manchester City
Norway
2.
Virgil Van Dijk
CB
Liverpool
Netherlands
1.
Mohamed Salah
RW
Liverpool
Egypt
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