Who Deserves the 2025–26 PFA Players' Player of the Year Crown? Every Nominee Ranked

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has announced the six nominees with the highest vote totals for the 2025–26 Players' Player of the Year award.

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes claimed the PFA's Player of the Year honor late last month, but this particular award carries a different prestige and is frequently considered more meaningful, as it is determined by fellow professionals.

All votes have been tallied and the leading candidates have been announced ahead of the award ceremony on Aug. 25. Here's a look at how the six finalists stack up.

6. Rayan Cherki

In a season characterized by tactical discipline and structural organization, a win for Rayan Cherki would be widely celebrated. His position at the foot of this list is by no means an indication that he is any less deserving of the prize.

Cherki is an unpredictable talent who resists being constrained. His free-flowing style gave Pep Guardiola several anxious moments throughout the campaign, yet it was impossible not to admire a player driven purely by his joy on the ball. The Frenchman embraced risk and consistently played on instinct, racking up 12 assists in his first Premier League season.

At just 22 years of age, Cherki will have many more chances to claim this honor.

5. David Raya

David Raya may be disadvantaged simply by virtue of being a goalkeeper—a position that rarely earns such prestigious individual recognition.

There is no question that Arsenal's shot-stopper delivered another exceptional campaign, producing a series of crucial saves that played a direct role in the Gunners' Premier League title win. Sadly for Raya, those contributions can easily go unnoticed.

It was a remarkable season for the Spaniard, who fully deserves his distinction as the only goalkeeper to feature in the top six.

4. Erling Haaland

A casualty of the sky-high standards he has set himself, Erling Haaland's tally of 27 goals and eight assists from 35 appearances generated surprisingly little excitement. Following his 36-goal debut season, anything short of that benchmark feels like a step back, even if it still ranks among the finest individual returns in Premier League history.

Manchester City's elite striker is undeniably the top performer in the division at his position and warrants his inclusion on this list, though his team's failure to lift the Premier League title may count against him.

Haaland claimed this award in 2022–23 but has been overlooked in recent seasons, and that pattern looks likely to continue.

3. Declan Rice

As the season drew to a close, the prevailing expectation was that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice would dominate the individual awards if the Gunners secured silverware. Fernandes's double haul quickly ended that conversation.

Few would dispute a victory for Rice, whose relentless displays were just as vital to Arsenal's success as his leadership qualities and his set-piece expertise. The majority of the Gunners' defining moments flowed through Rice in some capacity.

A well-respected figure throughout the league, Rice has every chance of accumulating the votes required to take home this award.

2. Gabriel

Rice's widespread popularity is not something all Arsenal players enjoy across the league. Centre back Gabriel spent the last 10 months fighting, dominating and grinding his way to the Premier League title, likely earning few admirers along the way.

The truth is, though, his impact simply cannot be overlooked. His knack for scoring important goals was impressive, but this was the campaign in which Gabriel surpassed his defensive partner William Saliba, establishing himself as the most pivotal figure in Mikel Arteta's defensive unit.

Given that Arsenal's title success was built on the foundation of a commanding defense, it would be no shock to see its standout performer emerge victorious.

1. Bruno Fernandes

Having already secured two individual honors this season, Fernandes enters as the overwhelming frontrunner to add this accolade to his expanding collection.

The Manchester United captain shattered the single-season assist record, finishing the campaign with 21, surpassing all-time legends Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne in the process. The company he now keeps says everything.

No player influenced their side's fortunes more than Fernandes, who will be fully expecting to lift the trophy at August's ceremony.