Premier League Player of the Season: Who are the favourites for this season's PFA award?

With plenty still to play for at both ends of the Premier League table, it is a difficult task to name potential winners of this season's PFA Premier League Player of the Season award.

Unlike previous campaigns where there have been outstanding candidates, there will be several players believing they have a chance this season and not just those battling for the title.

Whether it is firing forwards or durable defenders, we select our top picks for the award come the end of May, as well as those with the potential to mount a late charge.

Read on to find out Sports Mole's favourites and outsiders for the 2026 award!

PFA Premier League Player of the Season: The favourites

Declan Rice - Arsenal

With the Gunners acquiring Spanish defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi for £51m from Real Sociedad last summer, Declan Rice has grown into a new role at Arsenal this season.

After spending previous campaigns at the base of Mikel Arteta's midfield, the England international has played as more of a progressive carrier this season and has been more involved in the Arsenal attack.

Perhaps the 27-year-old's biggest weapon for the league leaders is his threat over a dead ball, with his deliveries contributing massively to Arsenal's outstanding success from set pieces this season.

Currently on 10 goal contributions, Rice will be looking to elapse his career best of 15 before the end of the campaign and hopefully push the Gunners over the line to win their first Premier League title in over two decades.

Erling Haaland - Manchester City

Once again, Erling Haaland will be firmly in the running for the Premier League Player of the Season award come the end of the campaign, with the Norwegian looking set to top the scoring charts for the third time over a four year span.

The 25-year-old won the award in his first season at the club after scoring a record-breaking 36 goals and assisting a further eight as Manchester City pipped Arsenal to the title by five points.

Although he has struggled in recent weeks, the City forward currently sits on 22 goals scored after 29 matches, four more than any other player in the division and his form will certainly be pivotal if Pep Guardiola's side want to chase down the Gunners for the title once more.

Playing in the World Cup for the first time this summer, Haaland will want to be heading to the tournament in red hot form and by doing that, he could join five other players who have won the player of the season award on two occasions.

Bruno Fernandes - Manchester United

Since Michael Carrick was hired as Manchester United's interim boss in January, the Red Devils look a side transformed compared to their early season woes.

During the tenure of the former midfielder, no other side in the division has picked up more than his side's 19 points which has lifted them from seventh to third in the Premier League table.

However, through both their peaks and troughs, Bruno Fernandes has continued to be a shining light for Manchester United and has arguably been the Premier League's most consistent player this season.

Despite playing in a more defensive role in 2025-26, the Portuguese midfielder has contributed to an impressive 21 league goals this season, a total which he only bettered in his debut campaign at the club.

Setting up his teammates on 14 occasions, six more than any other player in the division, the United captain also has an outside chance of posting the most ever assists in a single Premier League campaign, with the record currently being held by both Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne with 20.

Gabriel Magalhaes - Arsenal

This season, Gabriel Magalhaes has arguably been the key component in Arsenal's consistently stingy defence, which has conceded five fewer goals than any other side in the division.

After 30 games, the Gunners have shipped only 22 league goals and have tallied an impressive 14 clean sheets as they find themselves in a title race for the fourth consecutive season.

With their attack not flourishing as much as previous season's, Arsenal have also done well to spread their goal threat around the squad, with almost every player in the squad contributing this campaign.

The Brazilian defender has certainly been a part of that, contributing in huge moments against the likes of Newcastle United, Chelsea and Bournemouth, which could edge Arteta's side to that elusive Premier League title.

PFA Premier League Player of the Season: Outside Shouts

Igor Thiago - Brentford

With Keith Andrews appointed at the helm following Thomas Frank's departure to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season, many tipped Brentford as one of the favourites to get relegated from the Premier League in the 2025-26 campaign.

However, under the former Republic of Ireland international, the Bees have been the division's surprise package as they currently sit seventh in the Premier League table with 44 points after 29 matches.

After an underwhelming debut campaign at the club, failing to score in any of his eight league appearances, Igor Thiago has been a huge reason for Brentford's success with the Brazilian scoring an impressive 18 goals as the Bees eye up playing in European competition next season.

Antoine Semenyo - Bournemouth/Manchester City

Following a transfer window in which they lost the majority of their defensive unit, Bournemouth have done well to steer clear from the relegation scrap and sit only four points away from potentially playing on the continent next season.

The Cherries have conceded more goals than the majority of their direct rivals, but have certainly made up for that with their goalscoring prowess, which Antoine Semenyo was a large part of.

With many of the club's other attacking players misfiring, the Ghanian winger scored an impressive 10 league goals in the first half of the campaign for the club, which ultimately earned him a move to Manchester City in the January transfer window.

After only two months in Manchester, Semenyo has become one of Guardiola's key players, scoring seven goals and assisting a further two in all competitions as the Citizens continue to fight on all fronts.

David Raya - Arsenal

Much like Gabriel, David Raya has been a large reason for Arsenal's defensive stability this season, with the Spaniard playing every minute of the Gunners' Premier League campaign so far.

Since joining the club in 2023, the 30-year-old has won back-to-back Golden Glove awards and has kept an astonishing 43 clean sheets in his first 100 Premier League games with Arteta's side.

While those statistics represent the Arsenal backline as a whole, Raya has certainly come up with some moments of individual brilliance, most notably in recent games against Tottenham and Chelsea, which has kept the Gunners at the summit of the league table.

With Aaron Ramsdale already at the club, many fans questioned the need for Raya's acquisition, however the Spaniard has since displayed his worth as Arsenal's first choice between the sticks and gone on to become one of the best goalkeepers on the planet during his time with the Gunners.