Premier League 2025/26 Team of the Season XI

Just a few games are left in the 2025/26 Premier League season. Arsenal are sitting at the top of the pile, while West Ham United are staring relegation in the face – but who have been the best individual performers over the course of the campaign?

Yes, it’s time – here is our Premier League team of the season. Unsurprisingly, it is largely dominated by Arsenal and Manchester City stars, but we’ve also snuck in some players from Brentford, Brighton and West Ham.

GK: David Raya

This one is a real no-brainer. David Raya has been sensational this season – in terms of goalkeepers, the Spaniard has been in a league of his own.

A fantastic shot-stopper, he is the perfect goalkeeper for Arsenal right now. He sometimes struggles from set-pieces, but with William Saliba and Gabriel in front of him, it rarely matters. All in all, he has conceded a meagre 26 goals over the course of the season.

RB: Matheus Nunes

Matheus Nunes’ shift to right-back has been one of Pep Guardiola’s best success stories this season. The Spaniard might be leaving the club at the end of the campaign, but he has left them with one of the best full-backs in the world.

Previously, Matheus Nunes looked to be a lacklustre addition to the squad, struggling to make a name for himself at central midfield. At right-back, his strengths have been allowed to shine through – particularly, his excellent crossing ability.

CB: Gabriel

Is Gabriel the best centre-back in the world right now? If we’re solely looking at the Brazilian international’s performances from this season, then the answer is an emphatic ‘yes’.

Gabriel is a warrior at the back – practically unbeatable in an aerial duel, he is also an almighty threat in the opposition box. In the current campaign, he has scored three goals and has notched up four assists.

CB: Jan Paul van Hecke

We’ll be honest – William Saliba might be more worthy of this spot when you consider the numbers, but Jan Paul van Hecke deserves commendation for having such a fantastic campaign in a much weaker squad.

With Lewis Dunk slowing down at the age of 34, more and more responsibility has been lumped on Van Hecke’s shoulder. He has stepped up to the plate at every occasion – furthermore, he has also managed to rack up three goals and three assists from the heart of defence.

LB: Nico O’Reilly

Nico O’Reilly’s rise to prominence this season has been spell-binding. Still aged just 21 years old, the England international has been the best young player in the division this season.

O’Reilly has scored five goals and has notched up four assists for Manchester City this season – one assumes he’ll have a major part to play at the 2026 World Cup.

RM: Jarrod Bowen

It seems odd to include Jarrod Bowen in this XI, as West Ham look to be on the cusp of relegation. Nevertheless, when you examine his individual statistics, he is more than worthy of his place.

Despite playing in a deeply lacklustre side for much of the season, Bowen has managed to notch up ten goals and eight assists in the Premier League. If the Hammers are relegated, it won’t be for lack of trying on Bowen’s behalf.

CM: Declan Rice

For our money, Declan Rice is amongst the leading central midfielders in the world right now. He can do everything you would want out of a modern midfielder to an incredibly high standard – not bad, for a former centre-back.

As Arsenal close in on the Premier League title, Rice has probably been the most important component in their title charge. His ability to control a midfield battle is second to none – one will await his clash with Vitinha in the Champions League final against PSG feverishly.

CM: Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes is a Manchester United legend. The Red Devils have had to endure some very bleak periods over the last six years, but the Portuguese international has always been on hand to shine a ray of light through the darkness.

With an astonishing 20 assists in the league this season, only Erling Haaland has been able to notch up more goal contributions than Fernandes has.

LM: Antoine Semenyo

Antoine Semenyo is the only player in our XI to feature for two clubs this season. He was the star of the show at Bournemouth – one may have expected him to become lost in the mix at Manchester City, but this certainly wasn’t the case in practice.

With 16 goals and four assists for both the Cherries and the Sky Blues this season, Semenyo is a shoo-in for an XI such as this.

ST: Igor Thiago

No-one expected Igor Thiago to be the second-highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season – his excellent performances have seen him carve out a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squad, as well as this XI.

Only one player has scored more goals in the Premier League than Brentford’s talisman this season – no prizes for guessing who it is.

ST: Erling Haaland

This hasn’t been Erling Haaland’s best season in a Manchester City shirt by any means, but he still absolutely merits a spot in our XI.

Even if the Citizens fail to win the title at the end of the season, Haaland’s efforts are worthy of universal commendation – 26 goals and eight assists says it all.