B/R Premier League Player of the Year Rankings Ahead of the 2026-27 Season

The new Premier League season is just days away, and the debates have already begun.

Will Arsenal retain their title? Can Manchester City maintain their success without Pep Guardiola? And our topic for today: Who will win the PFA Player of the Year?

Our team of writers—Calum Rogers, Leo Collis, and Nick Akerman—have compiled their combined rankings and present them below.

10. Morgan Rogers, Chelsea

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Morgan Rogers is the most expensive signing of the 2026 summer transfer window so far, with his switch from Aston Villa to Chelsea reportedly coming at a cost of $157 million. 

It's easy to see why the Blues were willing to drop such a huge sum for the 24-year-old, as Rogers has evolved into a hugely effective attacking option in both domestic and European action. With the Villans last season, he notched 10 goals and grabbed seven assists in the Premier League, and he added three and five, respectively, as the West Midlanders sealed a Europa League trophy—he even scored and laid one off for Youri Tielemans in the final.

It's not exactly clear where he will fit in this Chelsea setup, with close friend Cole Palmer also vying for the No. 10 spot. But Xabi Alonso wouldn't have sanctioned such an expensive transfer unless he was certain of Rogers' place in the starting XI. 

With European football not coming to Stamford Bridge this season, Rogers can focus all his attention on domestic matters and keep the load on his legs light, which should allow him to excel week in and week out. 

Reaching double figures in goals and assists is not at all out of the question in the Premier League this season, and he might even help the Blues towards a surprising title challenge.

- Leo Collis

9. Gabriel, Arsenal

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Only one defender has won the PFA Players' Player of the Year in the past 20 years. In 2018-19, Virgil van Dijk was so imperious that statisticians recorded an apparent streak of 65 games in which an opposing player was unable to dribble past the Dutchman.

Fair or not, that may just be the level required for Gabriel to join this exclusive club. While the "dribbled past" numbers seem to have faded into obscurity, the Brazilian may need to be part of a similarly mythical run of performances to take this award.

Maybe that's being part of a record-breaking run of clean sheets. Perhaps his threat from set pieces sees him drastically exceed his personal best of five league goals. In all likelihood, the 28-year-old will need all that and possibly even more.

But with usual centre-back partner William Saliba likely out until at least October with a back injury, Gabriel has a chance to make himself the clear star of an Arsenal back line that has conceded the fewest Premier League goals in each of the past three seasons.

With Arsenal also looking like favorites to repeat as champions, it isn't too hard to imagine a player who has been so crucial to their success being held up as its poster boy.

- Calum Rogers

8. Florian Wirtz, Liverpool

Florian Wirtz's transfer to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen was supposed to herald the dawn of a brand-new era at Anfield, with the $156 million fee paid to acquire him a clear indication of the faith the Reds' hierarchy had in the now-23-year-old. 

However, he took his time to get going, and he didn't hit the heights expected of him in his first Premier League season—obviously adjusting to the pace and physicality of the division and trying to find his best position in a side still geared towards servicing Mohamed Salah. He scored seven goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions, a notable step back from the 16 goals and 15 assists he got with Bayer during the previous campaign. 

After that season of adjustment, it's now time for him to truly unleash his talents. With a misfiring Salah no longer in the starting lineup, his assist tally should immediately look a lot more respectable.

His relationship with Alexander Isak and the rest of the Liverpool squad continues to improve, and that understanding will make it easier for his deft touches and inventive through passes to pay off more regularly. 

The end of Arne Slot's tenure brought a slower, more pensive style of play than many at Anfield had become accustomed to, and Wirtz struggled as a result. However, new manager Andoni Iraola is the ideal manager to get the best out of him in a more attacking setup. 

The pieces should all be in place for Wirtz to show he was worthy of that huge price tag, and that makes him one of the outside candidates to scoop up the Player of the Year award.

- Leo Collis

7. Alexander Isak, Liverpool

What is the expectation for Alexander Isak this season? 

Should we be looking for a repeat of his 23-goal 2024-25 campaign, or a repeat of the three-goal hell he suffered last year?

The Swede's injuries ruined his debut year with Liverpool, giving him zero chance to help the Reds along a dismal title defence. It feels like people have softened on just how good he is during his time off — so now's the time he can prove any doubters wrong.

Isak's headline attributes are undoubtedly his raw pace and finishing. However, his deadliness also comes down to a great IQ and a first touch that can make the ball stick. Newcastle fans witnessed him tear opponents apart with smart runs in a season that catapulted him to the £125M transfer that is now used to beat him over the head with.

It's unlikely both Isak and Florian Wirtz can combine to have a worse showing than we've just witnessed. New manager Andoni Iraola should keep faith and build around the pair who can begin to repair the damage Arne Slot left in his wake. Even if Isak finishes halfway between his last two campaigns, things will look a whole lot better.

-Nick Akerman

6. Cole Palmer, Chelsea

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There are a lot of factors working in Cole Palmer's favour this season. 

After missing out on England's World Cup squad, the 24-year-old will be more rested than many of his rivals on this list. Add in that Chelsea missed out on European qualification, and opponents should get Palmer's best week in and week out this season.

The issue, of course, is that Palmer was a key player in the Chelsea team that finished 10th last season, and his performance levels have declined consistently over the past two seasons, albeit after an absurd 2023-24 season in which he registered 33 league goal contributions. Palmer followed that up with 23 in 2024-25 and then just 11 last season, including just one assist.

There are mitigating factors, though, most notably that Chelsea consistently overhauled and ultimately downgraded the team around him over that two-year spell. Those changes created instability and a decline in quality around the team's stars, like Palmer, for reasons only the club's decision-makers can explain.

This summer has seen yet more upheaval in West London, with new manager Xabi Alonso accompanied by nine first-team additions. The experience of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson among those signings signals a drastic change in direction for the club, though club-record signing Morgan Rogers gives Palmer an elite-level running mate in attack who could drastically raise the team's ceiling.

If Palmer can stay healthy after a season that saw him miss time with a groin issue and other knocks, everything is set up for him to return to the game-breaking form that made him one of the league's most exciting players.

- Calum Rogers

5. Bukayo Saka, Arsenal

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Bukayo Saka's fitness impeded his momentum last season. The winger started 25 matches en route to Arsenal's title win, missing a crucial portion of the season as the pressure increased and Mikel Arteta's men escaped the weeds of potentially bottling it.

He is, when fully firing, an incredible footballer. There could even be an argument that what he brings to Arsenal is underrated. Nobody in Arteta's squad can do what Saka does from the right, where his directness and desire to pull onto his left open up angles that others don't. He is a difference maker, a player who can wriggle free, beat men, and deliver an important goal or assist.

Saka was managed by Thomas Tuchel through the World Cup, with limited minutes. That's not a great visual for a player who will be desperate to aid his club's defence of a title that took two decades to come.

Should he enter the season fully fit, though, Arsenal will have one of the Premier League's best individuals at their disposal at a time when the squad is galvanizing to meet newfound expectations.

-Nick Akerman

4. Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City

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Antoine Semenyo was the star of a Bournemouth side that habitually punched above its weight. However, a big-money move to Manchester City was considered a risk, as the step up might expose his limitations in a team full of expensive, world-class talent.

The Ghanaian didn't skip a beat, adapting to the north-west quickly and snagging seven goals and an assist in 17 Premier League games for the Citizens. Doing so under a demanding manager and in a team of unfamiliar players is incredibly impressive, and Semenyo looked like he'd been in the XI for years, even helping City to stay in the title race until the penultimate matchday.

With even more familiarity in his new home, he could be set to step up a notch in 2026-27. The only thing that might prevent his stats from reaching new heights is the arrival of Enzo Maresca, as the Italian might stifle Semenyo's flair and call on him to prioritize possession and positional discipline more often. 

Still, Semenyo has proved to be a quick study, so it's entirely possible he'll take to Maresca's methods quickly and still find ways to impact the scoresheet. 

- Leo Collis

3. Declan Rice, Arsenal

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Declan Rice's move to Arsenal in 2023 was perhaps the most crucial of the club's signings as the Gunners charted a course for Premier League glory.

It all fell into place in the 2025-26 season, with the 27-year-old instrumental as the North Londoners won 26 of 38 games on the way to the title. Rice played in 36 of those, offering an ever-industrious presence in the middle of the park, breaking up attacks, dictating the play, and advancing the ball up the pitch with juggernaut-like runs. 

Rice will be getting a little extra help this season, with Bruno Guimarães arriving from Newcastle United to offer a similar box-to-box option and to give the England international a break from time to time. That should allow Rice to remain fresh, ensuring he can perform to his optimum level in games that really matter.

That could serve to elevate Rice's impact, making his qualities increasingly obvious as the Gunners seek to go back-to-back in the Premier League. He was already immense in the title-winning season, but he could become even more influential in 2026-27.

- Leo Collis

2. Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United

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Bruno Fernandes is the favorite to win this award for the 2025-26 season—which will be announced on August 25—after setting a new Premier League assists record with 21 and adding nine goals.

It would be the first such award of Fernandes' time in England, largely due to a lack of overall success for his Manchester United team. But expectations are rising after a third-place finish last season, and Fernandes would surely receive a decent chunk of the credit if United continues to make progress. 

It should be unreasonable to expect Fernandes to post similarly gaudy numbers again this season, of course. The 31-year-old beat his expected assists total by almost eight last term, according to FotMob, and fatigue should also be a concern with the extra burden of a UEFA Champions League campaign.

But in a year with so much upheaval across the league, the relative stability of United's team alongside Fernandes still has him in a strong position. 

While United are one of the five traditional Big Six clubs to have changed their manager in 2026, Michael Carrick has overseen 17 games since initially taking over in an interim role in January, and he won 12 of them. Fernandes also recorded 13 of his 21 assists under Carrick's stewardship.

And while the midfield positions behind him have been overhauled, the addition of Youri Tielemans in midfield may help United exert more control in games and give Fernandes more of a platform to hurt opponents.

It feels like the Red Devils are trending upward for the first time in a while, and Fernandes' trophy cabinet could be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

- Calum Rogers

1. Erling Haaland, Manchester City

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Erling Haaland should stroll to win the Golden Boot this season. Even though Manchester City struggled at times last campaign, he totted up 27 strikes, beating nearest competitor Igor Thiago by five. Both Thiago and Brentford went above and beyond just to push it that close.

While finishing as top scorer isn't a surefire route to winning the Player of the Year award, it would almost be guaranteed if Man City wins the title. He'd be right up there even if they don't. Alexander Isak is Haaland's most likely competitor for the Golden Boot, provided he remains fit, although it would be out of character if he did. 

Bruno Fernandes is, of course, capable of changing any logical plans with his goal contributions, just like he did last season. The assist machine is Man United's creative hub, and the man who can make all the difference in qualifying for the Champions League.

Declan Rice may need Bruno Guimarães to let him off the leash if he's to win the award, despite many considering him the worthy victor last year.

For all its riches, the current crop of striking options in the Premier League isn't a classic one. Haaland is by far ahead of the rest and should be considered odds-on to turn that into winning the individual prize.

-Nick Akerman