By James Paterson.

Honourable Mentions:

Making a list of the ten best Premier League players is incredibly difficult. There are simply too many top-quality players to mention. My list of honorable mentions who could have easily been on this list is Declan Rice, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, but I believe that these 10 players are even better.

10. Phil Foden  

Phil Foden was one of Man City’s best players last season. His wand of a left foot scored screamer after screamer, and he was invaluable to the City side, with his silky touch and quick movement. He scored 19 goals and provided 8 assists in 37 appearances, his best ever return in the league and especially impressive considering he doesn’t take penalties. His performance against Manchester United was a particular highlight. However, he is a system player who is reliant on his teammates, as shown in the Euros. Adding on to the slow start to this season is the reason why he has dropped down to position 10 on this list.

9. Gabriel 

Perhaps one of the most underrated players in the Premier League, Gabriel is a monster at the back. He was the starting centre-back at Arsenal last season and was a key part of a defense that held 15 clean sheets, the most of any team. On top of this, he scored 4 headers last season, helping Arsenal to finish second in the league. His strength and aggression terrorize even the most fearsome of attackers. Already this season, he has scored 2 goals in 5 games against Man City and Tottenham, with crashing headers from corners. With the right ball in, no one can stop him. The only thing that holds him back is the occasional error that he makes; yet these are few and do not take away from his defensive prowess.

8. Cole (cold) Palmer 

Cole Palmer is one of the coldest players in the league. Coming to Chelsea last season, he was an unproven youth player who had not been given the chance to shine at Man City. Yet, after moving down to a mid-table team, he was able to carry Chelsea to 6th place with his goals and assists. He scored 22 goals in 2023/24, second only to Haaland, and provided 11 assists as well. He was the center of this Chelsea team, and his output was world-class. Already this season, he has 2 goals and 4 assists in 5 games. Despite his height, his agility and dribbling are at a top level, and his penalty taking was composure personified. At the Euros, he scored a great goal in the final; yet, other than this, he failed to do much. Additionally, many of his goals in the league were penalties, but despite this, his spot on this table is secure.

7. William Saliba 

The other centre back in Arsenal’s formidable back line, Saliba is a force to be reckoned with. The “Rolls Royce” of defending, Saliba has proved over the last few years that he is one of the best defenders in the world. His speed, strength, and defensive awareness combined make him extremely tough to get past, and there are no holes in his game. Fifteen clean sheets, with two goals and one assist last season, were impressive, and he is overall a very solid player. This has led to him becoming a main part of the France team, one of the best international teams in the world.

6. Virgil Van Dijk 

Virgil Van Dijk has been one of the best defenders in the world for the last 5 years. He has consistency, skill, and physicality, which makes him so important to this Liverpool side. At the start of this season, his defense has only conceded 1 goal in 5 games, which is truly remarkable. Although he is perhaps getting old, he still has the mentality required to lead his Liverpool team to success, and under Arne Slot, this is looking more and more likely. His style of defending is unique, but one of the very best, and he is one of the leading defenders in the league. He has had some doubters in recent years, but these are unwarranted, and his level has not dropped anywhere near below world-class.

5. Bukayo Saka 

What a special player. Bukayo Saka has proved himself to be one of the best right wingers in the world, both for Arsenal and for England; he flourishes in any system. He is dangerous both cutting inside and going down the wing, and his in-swinging crosses are some of the best in the world and criminally underrated. He has been the most consistent Arsenal player for many years. Last year, he registered 16 goals and 9 assists, but his contribution to the team was more than that. He has started the season with 1 goal and 5 assists in 5 games, which is an impressive return. Still a young player, Saka has the ability to reach the very top of the game and become an Arsenal legend, and his determination and humility make this very likely to happen.

4. Martin Odegaard 

Matin Ødegaard is one of the silkiest players in world football. He is a delight to watch and the best playmaker in the Premier League right now. After being a failed Real Madrid wonderkid, his comeback from the brink of failure is something to look up to, and they surely regret his departure now. Last season, he captained Arsenal to second in the Premier League and registered 8 goals and 10 assists. Some would say these statistics are not worthy of the 4th best midfielder in the league, but as a midfielder, his role is far more than his output. His creative play, ball retention, and silky skill make him more than worthy of his spot, and it is clear to see his importance by how Arsenal have struggled to create without him this season due to his injury.

3. Mohamed Salah 

Salah has been one of the best wingers in the league for many years. His goal and assist return has been outstanding. While he has perhaps lost the lightning pace that aided him so much in the past, he has been able to adapt to life without it and still be one of the most valuable players on the Liverpool side. Few can match his left foot and ability to finish his chances. His passing is also extremely underrated, and his vision is almost on par with players such as Messi and De Bruyne. 18 goals and 10 assists last season, and 3 goals and 4 assists in 5 games this season make him statistically one of the best attackers in the world.

2. Rodri 

Rodri is the only defensive midfielder on the list, but perhaps the most crucial player in a Man City team that has won 4 titles in a row. Without him, Man City is far worse. Up until the FA Cup final last year, Rodri had gone on a 74-game unbeaten streak with Manchester City, which was record-breaking. The consistency, composure, and awareness of his play allow him to marshal the Man City team to the title. He also won the Euros in the summer, proving how much of a serial winner he is. In the 11 Premier League games that Rodri has missed since February 2023, 4 of them have been lost, which is a far worse ratio than when he is in the team, showing how reliant they are on him. Add to this his powerful strikes; it is no surprise that he is one of the favorites for the Ballon d’Or this season. Should his recent injury against Arsenal be long-term, Man City’s title prospects this season could be under threat.

2. Erling Haaland 

A monster. Erling Haaland has reached levels of unprecedented success during his two-year stint at Man City. He has reached 100 goals for the club in 105 games, which is simply ridiculous. He is the joint fastest player to reach this milestone for the club, level with only Cristiano Ronaldo himself. Some people think he is one-dimensional and only a goalscorer. Famously, he was called a “League 2 striker” by Roy Keane last year, despite being the Premier League top scorer with 27 goals. This notion that he is not a quality player is ridiculous; no one else would be able to reach this level of goals right now. This season, he has already scored 10 goals in 5 games and shows no signs of slowing up. His physicality, speed, and shot power make him incredibly difficult to defend against. He has scored 8 hat tricks in 69 games and is only 4 off the record for hat tricks in the Premier League, and he is being compared to players who have played hundreds of games already. An unstoppable force, Haaland may be the best Premier League player for many years to come, and unless he moves away, it seems inevitable that he will become the highest-scoring Premier League player ever.