Premier League Team of the Season candidates: What players are in the discussion for 2025-26 Best XI?
There are just about seven matches left for every team in the Premier League, and the forecast of potential award candidates remains a murky proposition. Some players — Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel Magalhaes, Antoine Semenyo — have etched their names into the Best XI and Player of the Year discussions but there are so many question marks from a campaign that has seen upsets on a near-weekly basis and an almighty rumble which has seen more clubs daydreaming about European qualification that at any other time in the history of the Premier League. MORE — Premier League title tracker: Matches left, projected points This, along with the fact that there's no runaway title winner in a two-team race that does not resemble the "one loss could end your hopes" 100-point races of yesteryear, makes projecting a Premier League Team of the Season quite a challenge.
There's always a bias in favor of the title favorites, and that could be doubly-troubling to stars from the other 18 teams given Arsenal and Man City are both in the title race while voters consider their choices. Yet last season also showed us more variety in the voters' eyes. Yes, Liverpool and Arsenal combined for seven of 11 places in the team — in retrospect, it's a bit hilarious because Arsenal finished 10 points shy of the crown and just three points ahead of unrepresented Man City — but Nottingham Forest grabbed two, Newcastle added another, and Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez even slid into the group.
Third-place Man City and fourth-place Chelsea didn't get a face in the crowd despite finishing above the fifth-place Magpies, seventh-place Tricky Trees, and ninth-place Bournemouth. MORE — Fan Fest heads to Tampa for huge PL matchweek Given this is an FA Cup weekend after an international break, we felt it could be a great time to look into the names who've kept their names in the discussion. Premier League Team of the Season candidates: What players are in the discussion for 2025-26 Best XI?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Acknowledging some injured or lesser-used great runs Before we get to the players in the discussion for the Team of the Season, we need to mention some stars who could've been in the discussion before getting hurt, players who missed too much time before asserting their status over a smaller sample size, or guys who were just not used so much by their managers. Josko Gvardiol, Manchester City Boubacar Kamara, Aston Villa Rayan Cherki, Manchester City Eli Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool Gvardiol's injury shortened what would almost certainly be a Best XI campaign while Villa without Kamara is an entirely different team.
Cherki's playmaking metrics are the only thing in the league anywhere near Bruno Fernandes, while the young Kroupi's nine goals have come in under 1200 minutes (Only Haaland has a better goals/90 this season). Ekitike was a victim to Liverpool's rotation and early-season desires to force success out of unfit Alexander Isak. Goalkeepers Frontrunner None In the thick of it David Raya, Arsenal Jordan Pickford, Everton This is perhaps a bit cruel on Raya, who has made some huge saves and been overall excellent behind a great Arsenal back line, but Pickford has been having perhaps his best overall season at Everton.
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