As we approach the crucial month of March in the 2025/26 Premier League season, the competition for the Player of the Season award is heating up.
Three players stand out for their significant contributions: Manchester United’s creative force Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal’s defensive linchpin Gabriel Magalhães and midfield manager Declan Rice.
Bruno Fernandes: Creative Engine
If this award were given strictly based on attacking ability, Bruno Fernandes would walk away with it.
The Portuguese maestro has racked up an astonishing 16 assists alongside seven goals in just 27 league games.
He currently leads the Premier League with 76 key passes and threatens to break Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s record for most assists in a season (20).
He has been an undeniable catalyst for Manchester United, single-handedly pulling the strings and keeping the team firmly in the hunt for a top-three finish.
Gabriel Magalhães: defensive colossus
On the other side of the ball, Gabriel Magalhães is an absolute giant. Arsenal currently sit at the top of the Premier League and their title challenge is built on solid foundations.
This season, Gabriel has not only supported a defensive team that has kept an astonishing 14 clean sheets, but he has also contributed three goals and four assists as a centre-back.
With an almost 68% duel success rate and winning important aerial duels every week, he is a nightmare for opposing strikers.
Declan Rice: Maestro of the midfield
Declan Rice has continued to justify his price tag in full and transformed into a complete midfielder.
Rice is a key part of Arsenal’s system, scoring four goals and providing seven assists in 30 appearances, but his true value lies much deeper.
He has a passing accuracy of over 90%, leads the team in ball recoveries (148) and is dominant in progressive carries (145).
With Martin Zvimendi taking on more of the deep defensive duties, Rice has been unleashed, consistently breaking through his lines and pushing Arsenal forward, while also stopping counter-attacks.
Verdict – Who should win?
Bruno Fernandes’ assist count is staggering, but the Player of the Season award is often given to the man who defines the league’s most successful teams.
Gabriel Magalhães has been touted as the best defender in the league, but Declan Rice trumps him as the most suitable candidate.
He is the glue that holds Arsenal’s elite defense together in a fluid attack. Rice’s ability to dominate the midfield physically while dictating play technically makes him the most irreplaceable player on the pitch for the league leaders.
If Arsenal continue to lift the Premier League trophy, it will ultimately be Rice’s commanding presence in the center of the park that will seal the deal.
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