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13 World-Class Footballers in the Premier League Right Now
As perhaps the best league in the world, the Premier League is filled to the brim with incredible talent and is largely considered the most stacked division in football. Even at the bottom of the division, you have elite players like Jordan Pickford, Jarrod Bowen and, before his move to Manchester United, Matheus Cunha.
The group of footballers who are genuinely world-class in England, however, is a very small and prestigious group. Indeed, there is a case to be made that just 13 players are operating at that level right now. With that in mind, GIVEMESPORT has revealed which stars are currently making the cut and why.
Ranking Factors
The main factors taken into account when ordering these players were as follows:
Current ability – Historical quality will be taken into account, but if they are past their peak – such as Kevin De Bruyne – they will no longer be deemed as World Class
Importance to the team – This can be classed as goals, assists, clean sheets or just sheer contribution to the team. You don’t necessarily have to score all the goals or provide all of the assists to be considered world-class.
Best in their position – It goes without saying, but to be considered as a world-class player, you have to be at least in the top five in your respective position on the pitch.
Goals – Goals win games, obviously. A world-class player arguably has to net at least 20 times in a single league campaign to be placed in the top bracket.
Assists – Similar to goals, being able to provide for your teammate on a regular basis can place you in the world-class category. In this day and age, players have to be able to have exceptional distribution and be able to deliver in the final third.
Clean Sheets – Unsurprisingly, for a goalkeeper to make the cut, you have to be able to keep the ball out of the net and be consistent when your teammates need you in pivotal moments.
Manchester City
Rodri, Erling Haaland
Considering just how dominant Manchester City have been over the last decade, and with the side winning a record-breaking fourth straight Premier League title just two seasons ago, it may come as a shock to see that just two members of Pep Guardiola’s are classed as world-class. Their form last season only goes to suggest that a rebuild is needed before they can return to the top.
The issue is that many key men of the past now appear to be past their peak. For so long, Kevin De Bruyne was among the best in the world, but age finally caught up with him, and he was shipped off to Napoli over this summer. It’s a similar story for other players like Kyle Walker, who moved to Burnley, and midfield maestro Bernardo Silva, who is now past his 30th birthday. In the past, all three would have been included on this list.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has suffered from numerous injuries since claiming the prize, but they don’t diminish his status as one of the best footballers of the modern era. Now 29, the Spaniard should still have a few years left at the top as he hopes to play a significant role in the 2025/26 season.
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2
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There’s not really much to even say about Erling Haaland right now that hasn’t already been said by just about anyone who knows a thing about football. The Norwegian has been a goal-scoring phenomenon, completely tearing Premier League defences apart since he moved to England in 2022, smashing the league’s record for most goals in a single season. He finished as the league’s top scorer in both of his first two campaigns at the Etihad stadium and continues to dominate, even if last season’s total of 22 had people finally realising he can be somewhat human.
Man City’s World-Class Players – Premier League Stats in 2025/26
Name
Matches
Goals
Assists
Rodri
6
0
0
Erling Haaland
10
13
1
Liverpool
Alisson Becker, Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk
After having wrapped up their 20th English league crown last time out, Liverpool have three world-class players among their ranks. Indeed, there’s no denying that Alisson Becker, Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk – while the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are perhaps unfortunate to miss out.
Alisson’s impact on Liverpool since he joined the club, and the incredible upgrade he provided, can’t be overstated. The Brazilian has been fantastic throughout his entire Reds career and is one of the best goalkeepers in Premier League history.
Salah has been, hands down, Liverpool’s best player since he joined from Roma in 2017, and has been consistently one of the best players in the world. His goal-scoring record and influence on the team have been otherworldly. As for Van Dijk, pundits are beginning to run out of superlatives for the Dutch centre-back. Both players haven’t been at the peak of their powers to start the 2025/26 season but can still be considered the best of the best.
Liverpool’s World-Class Players – Premier League Stats in 2025/26
Name
Matches
Goals
Assists
Clean sheets
Alisson Becker
6
0
0
2
Mohamed Salah
10
4
2
N/A
Virgil Van Dijk
10
0
0
N/A
Arsenal
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, David Raya
After their impressive title challenges over the last few seasons, there’s no denying that Arsenal have a few world-class players. Bukayo Saka has proven himself for club and country time and time again – anyone who feels differently should probably start watching a different spot.
The addition, albeit for a lofty price in excess of £100 million, of Declan Rice in 2023 was a huge boost for the north London outfit. Mikel Arteta’s side firmly believe major silverware is on its way soon, even if they won’t win a league title this season, and it’s hard to argue with Saka and Rice in the team, while the addition of Viktor Gyokeres this summer should raise their game even more.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Rice is the fourth-most expensive signing in Premier League history – behind Manchester City’s move for Jack Grealish, Enzo Fernandez’s arrival at Chelsea, and Liverpool’s signings of Forian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are among the best defenders in world football right now – and perhaps the greatest partnership going. With the brilliant David Raya behind them, they rarely lose, let alone concede.
Club captain Martin Odegaard is unlucky not to make the list, but a dip in form of late sees him fall out of the highest bracket.
Arsenal’s World-Class Players – Premier League Stats in 2025/26
Name
Matches
Goals
Assists
Clean Sheets
Declan Rice
11
2
3
N/A
Bukayo Saka
9
3
0
N/A
Gabriel Magalhaes
11
1
2
N/A
William Saliba
10
0
0
N/A
David Raya
11
0
0
7
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Manchester United
Bruno Fernandes
There are no two ways about it: Bruno Fernandes has been world-class since he joined the Red Devils. The 31-year-old has been instrumental for the club since he moved to Old Trafford back in 2020. It’s hard to imagine where they might have ended up if they didn’t have the Portugal star carrying the workload throughout a rough period for the side, and his elite talent would be enough to see him walk into just about any team in the world.
Understandably, there are plenty of fans and pundits alike who get frustrated with his petulance, but it would be remiss to let that cloud any judgment of his footballing talent because he’s sublime. Amid the club’s many troubles, the attacking midfielder has continued to operate at a superb level. He will be key in any success that Ruben Amorim’s men might have going forward.
Bruno Fernandes’ Premier League Stats in 2025/26
Matches
11
Goals
2
Assists
3
Chelsea
Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo
The 2023/24 campaign was a huge one for Cole Palmer, who moved from Manchester City to Chelsea and became a world-class footballer in the process. The young Englishman continues to thrive at Stamford Bridge and was crucial to their fortunes on the pitch last season as Enzo Maresca’s side won the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup double.
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He has had an injury-hit start to the 2025/26 campaign but, when fully fit, he is an absolute nightmare for opposition defenders.
Another Chelsea player who has established himself as world-class in recent times is Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian midfielder endured some criticism towards the beginning of his time in west London as he struggled to live up to his hefty £115 million price-tag.
But he has now found his feet and is an absolute monster in the middle of the park. A defensive-minded midfielder who also has the technical ability required to contribute in attack, Caicedo really can do it all.
Chelsea’s World-Class Players – Premier League Stats in 2025/26
Name
Matches
Goals
Assists
Cole Palmer
3
1
0
Moises Caicedo
11
3
1
Featured
RUMORS: Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is reportedly keen to reunite with Florian Wirtz despite his struggles at Liverpool. With Liverpool still interested in Rodrygo, a swap deal between the two players is reportedly being considered
Real Madrid Willing To Sacrifice Star Player In Swap Deal With Liverpool
Xabi Alonso would be ‘delighted’ to have him at Madrid.
Real Madrid are open to the idea of a swap deal involving Rodrygo, according to reports in Spain, with Xabi Alonso willing to ‘facilitate’ a move for one of Liverpool’s summer signings.
Since joining the club in a £39 million move from Santos, Rodrygo has made over 250 appearances for Los Blancos across a trophy-laden six-year spell.
He impressed under Carlo Ancelotti, winning three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice, but the Brazil international has played a bit-part role of late, especially under new manager Xabi Alonso.
As a result, Rodrygo was heavily linked with a summer move. Arsenal and Chelsea were both rumoured to be interested alongside recently-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool
Spanish publication AS claimed Liverpool expressed an interest and were keeping tabs on his delicate situation at Madrid, but they eventually focused on other targets, including Florian Wirtz.
Rodrygo has struggled for starts under Xabi Alonso. Image credit: Getty
Wirtz, who eventually joined Liverpool for £116 million, had been tracked by Madrid for several months.
However, the Spanish club were unwilling to meet the demands made by Bayer Leverkusen and proceeded to withdraw from the bidding process, according to Spanish publication Defensa Central.
RUMORS: Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is reportedly keen to reunite with Florian Wirtz despite his struggles at Liverpool. With Liverpool still interested in Rodrygo, a swap deal between the two players is reportedly being considered!🚨🔴⚪️??
#RealMadrid #Liverpool #Transfers
The report also claims Wirtz ‘wouldn’t have hesitated’ to join Los Blancos if they had made a suitable offer.
In fact, as the German struggles to adapt to life in the Premier League, Madrid would be willing to include Rodrygo in an audacious swap deal for Wirtz.
“Xabi Alonso would be delighted to have him,” the report says. “For now, Real Madrid are following him very closely, aware that he could become a very interesting option to strengthen their midfield in the future.”
It adds: “But in the short term, it seems like a virtually impossible move, because Liverpool won’t want to sell him so soon, however interested they may be in Rodrygo.”
What has Rodrygo said about Liverpool?
Before his move to Madrid, the Brazilian forward came close to signing for Liverpool for just £2.5 million.
“We didn’t close the deal (with Liverpool) because I didn’t want to,” Rodrygo said in 2024. “I wanted to stay at Santos even though the offer was very good… finally, I was able to fulfil my dream of playing for Santos.”
“But it’s true, I almost went to Liverpool in 2017.”

Rodrygo came up against Liverpool this month. Image credit: Getty
Despite turning Liverpool down, he has expressed his admiration for the club and its fans.
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Speaking ahead of a Champions League clash at Anfield in 2023, he said: “The game there is going to be very difficult, we already know this. Playing against Liverpool is always difficult whether with or without fans, but at Anfield even more.”
Featured
Arsenal injury news: Latest on six stars as Mikel Arteta ‘hoping’ for two Tottenham returns
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly hoping to have two of his stricken stars back in action for the North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur on November 23.
The Gunners are expected to receive a plethora of injury boosts over the international break and have already welcomed the news that Gabriel Jesus has returned to team training after an ACL tear.
The Brazil international has been sidelined for 10 months after rupturing his cruciate ligament in January’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United, but he is now on course to return before the end of the calendar year.
However, Jesus is still expected to be the last cab off the rank in terms of Arsenal’s injured stars, a list that also includes Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.
None of the quintet is expected to be sidelined for much longer after the international window, though, and according to The Mirror, two are bidding to return in time for Tottenham straight after the hiatus.
Arsenal to welcome two injured stars back for Tottenham clash?
The report states that attacking duo Gyokeres and Madueke are both pushing to return for the North London derby as they step up their recoveries from respective hamstring and knee complaints.
Gyokeres suffered a muscular blow during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Burnley two Saturdays ago, although reports at the time stated that the Sweden international had avoided a serious issue, and he is expected to be back in full training imminently.
Meanwhile, Madueke has been missing since hurting his knee in September’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City – the winger was originally said to have faced up to eight weeks in the treatment room.
Without Gyokeres, Havertz or Jesus up front, Arteta was forced to shoe-horn Mikel Merino into a central striking role once again in games against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, but the Spaniard endured mixed fortunes over those two games.
Meanwhile, Madueke’s absence has not been so damaging to Arsenal thanks to Bukayo Saka’s presence, although the ex-Chelsea winger made an effervescent start to his Gunners career before entering the infirmary.
When could Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz return?
Martinelli, Odegaard and Havertz do not appear to be so close to comebacks, but the report adds that Arteta is still banking on the trio returning for the unrelenting festive fixture schedule.
The Gunners’ North London derby precedes a daunting Champions League barttle with Bayern Munich on November 26, as well other all-capital clashes with Chelsea on November 30 and Brentford on December 3.
Odegaard and Havertz (both knee) may still make their returns before the end of the month, while Martinelli’s recent muscular problem should not take too much longer to heal either.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are supposedly hoping to schedule a behind-closed-doors friendly game for Jesus during the international break, as the striker builds up towards a competitive return in either late December or early January.
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Liverpool injury update: Alexander Isak, Alisson Becker and Jeremie Frimpong latest news and return dates
Reds are hopeful their main injury woes will soon be over
Jeremie Frimpong, Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker
London Standard
Liverpool’s woes on the pitch hit a new low on Sunday with a 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, but their injury troubles are easing.
Alexander Isak was back in the matchday squad at the Etihad Stadium, though did not get off the bench, while Alisson Becker and Jeremie Frimpong are not too far behind.
It is very welcome news for Arne Slot, who has seen the Reds’ Premier League title defence all but end ahead of the November international break.
Here’s all the latest Liverpool injury news and return dates…
Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak returned to the matchday squad on Sunday but did not come off the bench against Manchester City despite Liverpool needing a goal.
The striker has been struggling with a groin injury but only returned to training with his team-mates on Friday so is lacking match fitness.
Ahead the weekend, Slot said of Isak: “He will train with the team for the first time today after being three weeks out. I know I said three weeks ago his pre-season was ended, so now we have to see where he is.
If you are three weeks only with the rehab, that doesn’t bring him back to the levels he was three weeks ago, although our rehab team has done an incredible job. You cannot compare rehab with games of football or training with the team. As much as we try to replicate it, it’s simply not possible. So, again I have to say give him some time.”
Potential return date: Nottingham Forest (H) on Saturday, November 22, 2025
Alisson Becker
Alisson Becker is nearing a return after a number of weeks out with a thigh injury.
Giorgi Mamardashvili has impressed in patches while acting as understudy, notably saving a penalty from Erling Haaland on Sunday, but Alisson’s imminent return will be a big boost for the Reds.
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Arne Slot said on Friday: “Alisson for sure [will be back] after the international break … we expect this.”
Potential return date: Nottingham Forest (H) on Saturday, November 22, 2025
Sidelined: Jeremie Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong is also nearing a return, but is a little behind Alisson Becker on his road to recovery.
The defender last month against Frankfurt suffered his second hamstring injury of the season and was ruled out for six weeks.
Arne Slot, though, has suggested that Frimpong is slightly ahead of schedule and could even return before the end of November.
The Reds boss said: “I expect Jeremie back after the international break as well because we play from November to March. But I don’t expect Jeremie to be fully fit [to face Nottingham] Forest.”
Potential return date: West Ham (A) on Sunday, November 30, 2025
Giovanni Leoni
Leoni suffered an ACL injury on his Liverpool debut against Southampton back in September.
The 18-year-old impressed in his first minutes in red, but was stretchered off shortly after.
He later underwent surgery and is expected to spend a year on the sidelines.
“He’s not in a good place, of course,” Slot said of the Italian. “He tore his ACL which means that he will be out for around a year.”
Potential return date: Late 2026
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Alisson Becker
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