The Best 10 Players of the 2026-27 Premier League

Team: Liverpool
Position: MF
Age: 23
When Arne Slot and Liverpool signed Wirtz for £100 million, he was viewed as the centerpiece for Slot’s future Liverpool squad. A very disappointing season for Wirtz and Liverpool led to Slot’s departure and Andoni Iraola is the new manager. Wirtz’s talent is not in question, as he won back-to-back Bundesliga Player of the Year awards before joining Liverpool. The big question will be whether or not Iraola can unlock Wirtz’s ability.—Don Steele

Team: Chelsea
Position: MF
Age: 24
The funniest star in the Prem is coming off an injury-plagued, subpar season, but there’s reason to believe he’s poised for a return to form: With a new manager (Xabi Alonso) and star teammate (Morgan Rogers), Palmer might just get back to his sizzling ’23-’24 form, when he scored an incredible 22 goals and 13 assists. The only question is: Who’s gonna own the “ice cold” celebration this season, him or Rogers?—Donnie Kwak

Team: Arsenal
Position: CB
Age: 28
Defense was the calling card for the 2025-2026 Arsenal title-winning season. The partnership between Gabriel and William Saliba proved to be the spine that Arsenal needed, and the Brazilian’s battles with Erling Haaland, reprised at the World Cup, are always must-watch TV. Unlike the Brazil-Norway Round of 16 match, Gabriel bested Haaland in the Prem last season. With Saliba out with injury for what could be months, Gabriel will need to be at his best for Arsenal to remain champions.—DS

Team: Manchester City
Position: MF/F
Age: 23
Cherki has quickly emerged as one of the Premier League’s most exciting creative talents, bringing a combination of flair, vision, and unpredictability that is impossible to take your eyes off of. His ability to glide past defenders and create chances from seemingly impossible situations makes him a defender’s nightmare. While he is still developing consistency, Cherki already possesses the kind of quality that feels reminiscent of an era of football that fans have been yearning for. After not getting a proper chance to shine with the French national team during the World Cup, Cherki is ready to show what he can do under Enzo Maresca’s new Manchester City.—James Granados

Team: Liverpool
Position: F
Age: 26
For £125 million, Liverpool got only four goals, one assist, and numerous frustrating injuries from Isak last season. Newcastle fans laughed. But the Premier League’s most expensive player has a chance for redemption this season, and should fare better in the counter-attacking system favored by new manager Iraola. If fellow ’25-’26 underperformer Wirtz can click behind him, expect Isak to be back in the Golden Boot race.—DK

Team: Chelsea
Position: DMF
Age: 24
Caicedo has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders, combining his physicality with the technical ability to control games from deep. His ability to win the ball, cover ground, and drive Chelsea forward makes him a constant presence on both sides of the pitch. After becoming one of the league’s most reliable defensive midfielders—leading the league last season in interceptions—Caicedo has taken another step forward, showing he can dictate games as much as he can disrupt them. Few midfielders in the world can match his intensity and all-around impact.—JG

Team: Arsenal
Position: F
Age: 24
When you Google “Bukayo Saka,” one of the top recommended questions is “Is Bukayo Saka World Class?” Despite being known as “Starboy,” the debate lingers. His 2026 World Cup is a microcosm of his career thus far: He didn’t see the pitch for England’s semi-final loss to Argentina, but then scored a hat-trick in the third-place game against France. To reach the next level, consistency matters. And for Arsenal to repeat as champions of England—and possibly Europe—Saka will need to answer this question affirmatively once and for all.—DS

Team: Arsenal
Position: MF
Age: 27
Rice proved his £100 million transfer fee was money well spent in helping the Gunners win their first Premier League trophy since 2004. His “It’s not done” rallying cry, caught on camera after Arsenal’s late-season loss to Manchester City, proved to be prophetic. The fear for Arsenal and their fans is that the 69 games he played in the 2025-2026 campaign will catch up to him. The summer addition of Bruno Guimarães should ease the burden, but Arsenal need a fit Rice to repeat.—DS

Team: Manchester United
Position: MF
Age: 31
There may be no player in the Prem who is more loved by his own fans but reviled by opposition fans than Fernandes. His quality on the pitch is not in question; the 21 assists he tallied in ’25-’26 broke the single-season record. His all-around play earned him the Premier League Player of the Season and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year. If Manchester United are going to return to winning trophies, Fernandes must continue to play at the level he set for himself last year.—DS 

Team: Manchester City
Position: F
Age: 26
Haaland’s 7 goals in the 2026 World Cup reaffirmed what every Man City and Premier League fan already knew: the 6’5” Norwegian is an absolute beast and on the short list for best players in the world. Haaland won his third Golden Boot in four seasons with 27 goals and powered City to the FA and Carabao Cups. Under new manager Maresca, who was one of Pep’s assistants when Haaland scored a record 36 goals in ’22-’23, Haaland has his sights set on another scoring crown. If he can stop Arsenal from repeating, he just might prove that he is the best player in the world.—DS