With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, now is as good of a time as ever to take stock of the English talent playing in the Premier League right now, scouting out their form. Here are the 10 best English players in the Premier League of the 2025/26 campaign, ranked in order.
10\. Chelsea AM Cole Palmer
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Even in a down year for him personally, Cole Palmer is still one of the best non strikers in the Premier League at finding the back of the net with nine goals in 17 starts. If you believed Palmer was a Ballon d’Or candidate in the past, then you had better believe he still has heaps of quality. The skill and shooting ability have clearly not left him, even in this difficult 2025/26 campaign.
9\. West Ham RW Jarrod Bowen
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Jarrod Bowen is perennially underrated, and if it were not for him roaming this otherwise poor West Ham United attack, the Hammers would have already been doomed to relegation already. His eight goals and six assists aren’t even the most impressive part of his game, as Bowen is exceptional at carrying the ball and leading attacks with three combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game.
8\. Chelsea RB Reece James
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Captain Reece James has been one of the elite players in the Premier League for years. James is so good going both ways, shutting down the flank defensively while creating a bevy of chances with accurate crosses. He’s registered four assists for Chelsea this season, and the biggest credit to his quality is how underwhelming Chelsea look as a team when he is out.
7\. Manchester City LB Nico O’Reilly
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Nico O’Reilly has been one of the big developments of the season for Manchester City, capable of starting as a left back or center midfielder. He is a Pep Guardiola coded player with his technical quality, willingness to run and cover gaps, and versatility.
6\. Manchester City CB Marc Guehi
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Although Marc Guehi got exposed at the Champions League level by Real Madrid, it should not shroud how tremendous he has been in the Premier League for both Crystal Palace and City this season. He is a hands down, top four center back in this league with bags of quality on the ball and shutdown man marking. He is obviously proven at the national team level for England, too, as a standout from the last Euros.
5\. Manchester City AM Phil Foden
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We have seen better seasons from Phil Foden, a literal former Premier League Player of the Season, and he has definitely taken a back seat to new playmaker extraordinaire Rayan Cherki. But Foden still has seven goals this season, and when he is on the pitch, his creativity and skill are game breakers for Manchester City. He is one of the most talented English players there is.
4\. Everton CM James Garner
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It is remarkable how James Garner has flown under the radar this season, but maybe that’s because people just aren’t paying attention to a thoroughly mediocre Everton. Garner, not Jack Grealish, has been the Toffees best player and one of the most well rounded midfielders in the entire Premier League.
3\. Arsenal RW Bukayo Saka
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Bukayo Saka is concerningly struggling to provide true electricity to the Arsenal attack, and he will honestly never be a superstar player, so people need to stop pretending that he is on the Vinicius Junior level. However, Saka is the perfect sidekick to a superstar with his efficiency, creativity, unselfishness, and all around wing play. He is a jack of all trades and a master of none, but he has mastered the art of being a jack of all trades. If that makes any sense.
2\. Nottingham Forest CM Elliot Anderson
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No single player in the Premier League has been a bigger breakout star than Elliot Anderson, and both Manchester City and Manchester United have every right to consider him a dream signing. He plays the position with such composure yet such courage to always press, win the ball, get forward, and make something happen for his forwards.
1\. Arsenal DM Declan Rice
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If there is any legitimate competitor to Manchester United star playmaker Bruno Fernandes, then it is Declan Rice, who has received Ballon d’Or shouts this season. While those are admittedly mostly from [Arsenal](https://goonernews.com/) fans, that does not shroud the fact that Rice has been the best holding midfielder in the Premier League and quite possibly in Europe. He is elite at a very valuable, scarce position and central to Arsenal leading the Premier League title race.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.