Former Arsenal manager and Premier League legend Arsène Wenger recently named and ranked his four favourite players to watch in the world right now. For this exercise, Arsenal players were excluded, meaning the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard could not be mentioned. Instead, he opted for two fellow Premier League stars and a pair of Real Madrid teammates.
Despite being out of management for almost seven years now, leaving the Gunners in 2018, Wenger is still very much involved in football. His current role is within FIFA, where he serves as Chief of Football Global Development, meaning he remains well in tune with the world’s greatest players.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool
Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah
Unsurprisingly, Wenger opted for Mohamed Salah as his favourite player to watch right now. The Liverpool forward has been sensational this season and is set to lead his side to a second-ever Premier League title. In just 29 league games this season, Salah has already scored 27 goals and provided 17 assists. This is just three goal involvements shy of levelling Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s record of most in a single season, though the pair did so in a 42-game campaign. Salah has already tied Thierry Henry for the most in a 38-game season.
Wenger noted Salah’s longevity, and his ability to remain at the top level as an impressive feature of his game. The Egyptian is showing no signs of slowing down; he has now scored at least 20 Premier League goals in five of his eight seasons with the Reds. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it remains to be seen where Salah is playing his football next season. But Liverpool and the Premier League will be desperate to keep one of the world’s best in England.
Mohamed Salah Liverpool Premier League Stats
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Kylian Mbappé
Real Madrid
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe
Another obvious choice, Wenger named his compatriot Kylian Mbappé. The 26-year-old has been destined for superstardom ever since he burst through the ranks with Monaco, and with a big-money move to PSG in between, he is now playing in the white of Real Madrid.
Mbappé suffered from an indifferent start at Madrid by his standards, but he has well and truly found his feet, now on 29 goals in all competitions for the season. He has already achieved so much in his young career, most notably becoming a World Cup champion with France at 19, where he scored four goals, including one in the final. With six Ligue 1 titles also to his name, he is still missing a Champions League, though this is a success he is bound to taste sooner or later with Madrid.
Kylian Mbappé Real Madrid Stats (All Competitions)
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Vinícius Jr
Real Madrid
Vinicius Jr
Mbappé’s teammate, Vinícius Jr, is also one of the best wingers in world football. Controversially missing out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or, the 24-year-old has achieved many things in his young career since his move to Madrid in 2018. Already a three-time La Liga and two-time Champions League winner, expect his trophy cabinet to expand greatly in the next few years as he enters his prime.
The Brazilian displays great flair and technique, and is very tough to stop on either flank. He is a threat in multiple ways, whether that be creatively or scoring. In 303 appearances, he has already hit 103 goals for Madrid, also contributing 71 assists. This season, he has been particularly potent in the Champions League, scoring seven goals in 10 games, including a remarkable hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund in a 5-2 comeback win.
Vinícius Jr Real Madrid Stats (All Competitions)
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Cole Palmer
Chelsea
Chelsea winger Cole Palmer applauding the supporters
Cole Palmer truly burst onto the scene last season after he made a £42.5m switch from Manchester City to Chelsea. The large price tag for a player who had not yet scored a Premier League goal raised eyebrows, but his tremendous performances for the Blues since now have him considered an incredible bargain. In what was a season of struggle for Chelsea last year, Palmer shined and carried them to a top six finish. He scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in 34 games.
This is the form he continued into this season, in which he sits on 14 goals and six assists. His demeanour on the pitch comes across as very endearing to fans, and he has become immensely popular both in England and abroad. The 22-year-old is one of the most exciting players the country has to offer, and he made his name on the international stage with the equaliser in the Euro 2024 final last summer.
Cole Palmer Chelsea Premier League Stats
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All statistics courtesy of TransferMarkt - correct as of 13/03/25