The 2025/26 Premier League season is over, with the campaign culminating in Sunday’s final day.
Arsenal were crowned champions for the first time since 2003/04, while joining them in Champions League qualification were Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
At the bottom, meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur avoided relegation on the final day at the expense of West Ham United.
But who were the players who made the action happen? We’ve used our Squawka Score to pick out the best-performing players of 2025-26, and there are a couple of surprises in our XI.
NB: Only players with at least 1,710 (50%) minutes played so far this season are considered.
Goalkeeper: Karl Darlow
- Team: Leeds United
- Squawka Score: 66%
A name nobody expected to be here, Karl Darlow was supposed to be Leeds’ back-up goalkeeper this season after the club signed Lucas Perri in the summer. However, the Brazilian struggled with form and fitness, meaning Darlow got plenty of opportunities. The Wales international conceded just 1.23 goals per 90 minutes, compared to 1.81 from Perri, while Darlow — who kept five clean sheets in 22 appearances — was in the Premier League’s 80-95th percentile among goalkeepers for long passes completed, final third passes completed and smothers.
Right-back: Jurrien Timber
- Team: Arsenal
- Squawka Score: 75%
Jurrien Timber sat out the final sprint of the campaign with a muscle injury, though he is expected back in the squad for the Champions League final. However, he’d already made his presence felt with three goals and five assists in 30 appearances. The Dutchman was also in the 95th percentile in his position for touches in the opposition box, and the 80-95th percentile for last man tackles.
Fulham’s Timothy Castagne gets an honourable mention here, sitting level with his Premier League-winning counterpart on 75%.
Centre-back: Ruben Dias
- Team: Manchester City
- Squawka Score: 75%
Ruben Dias lost just 0.08 challenges per 90 minutes in 2025/26, placing him in the top 5% of centre-backs in that metric. The Portugal international was also one of the top performers when it came to offside traps successfully sprung, while he was elite on the ball as usual, sitting in the 80-95th percentile for final third passes completed and final third pass completion.
Centre-back: Gabriel Magalhaes
- Team: Arsenal
- Squawka Score: 73%
A lot of the attention around Gabriel is due to his immense set-piece threat, and the Brazilian did register three goals and four assists — a phenomenal goal involvement rate for a centre-back. However, Gabriel can also defend, sitting in the 80-95th percentile for ground duels and aerial duels won, shots blocked and clearances. Gabriel anchored the best defence in the country, which ultimately fuelled Arsenal’s title triumph.
Left-back: Piero Hincapie
- Team: Arsenal
- Squawka Score: 73%
Piero Hincapie proved to be an inspired signing on loan from Leverkusen, especially given the injury problems Riccardo Calafiori endured. Hincapie was in the 80-95th percentile of Premier League full-backs for ground duels won, blocked shots and last man tackles, while he was in the 95th percentile for clearances. Simply put, while Timber pushed forward, Hincapie kept it tight.
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Central midfielder: Bruno Guimaraes
- Team: Newcastle United
- Squawka Score: 79%
By the standards they’ve set in recent years, it was a miserable season for Newcastle, who finished 12th and lost 17 games. However, Bruno Guimaraes was in no way responsible for that, registering nine goals and five assists in 29 Premier League appearances. He was also in the 95th percentile for successful passes into the opposition penalty area, shots on target and penalties won.
Central midfielder: Elliot Anderson
- Team: Nottingham Forest
- Squawka Score: 77%
Elliot Anderson was just as effective as Guimaraes, but in different areas of the pitch. Yes, the England star notched four goals and four assists in 38 appearances, but he also sat in the 80-95th percentile in a whole host of stats, including tackles won, possessions won in the middle third, penalty area entries and successful final third passes — to name but a few — showing incredible two-way quality. A big move surely awaits.
RW: Bukayo Saka
- Team: Arsenal
- Squawka Score: 71%
Arsenal’s biggest wobble this season came when Bukayo Saka was injured, and it was no surprise to see them surge to the title once he returned. The 24-year-old registered seven goals and five assists in 31 appearances, but he was active even when not directly involved in goals, sitting in the 80-95th percentile for touches in the opposition box, crosses completed, big chances created and final third possessions won.
No.10: Rayan Cherki
- Team: Manchester City
- Squawka Score: 77%
While he only scored four goals, Rayan Cherki proved to be an inspired signing for Man City for his creativity. The France international registered 12 assists to sit second only to record-breaking Bruno Fernandes (21) in the Playmaker race. What’s more, Cherki was in the 95th percentile for big chances created, penalty area entries and through balls completed.
LW: Jeremy Doku
- Team: Manchester City
- Squawka Score: 75%
It was very nearly a disappointing season for Jeremy Doku, and then he hit four goals and an assist in his final eight Premier League appearances. That took his total to five goals and five assists, but he was always a threat even if the raw numbers didn’t suggest so, with the Belgian in the 95th percentile for touches in the opposition box, take-ons completed and through balls completed.
ST: Erling Haaland
- Team: Manchester City
- Squawka Score: 78%
Erling Haaland suffered a serious dip in form post-Christmas, netting just three goals in 13 games between 27th December and 12th April. However, his form either side of that blip was so strong that he still won the Golden Boot by five goals, netting 27 times in 35 appearances. This is the Norwegian’s third Premier League Golden Boot in four years.