Declan Rice, Arsenal
The easiest way to explain Rice's contribution to Arsenal is that he has somehow made £105m look cheap. The 25-year-old, who has only missed one game this season in all competitions, has transformed the Gunners' midfield and his defensive talent, tenacity and tactical intelligence have provided freedom and space for others, particularly Martin Ødegaard, to shine. . Only Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard have more assists in the league for Arsenal this season, and part of the reason why Arsenal have been so effective from set pieces is because of the quality of Rice's deliveries. He is an elite, complete midfielder and a natural leader.
Ross Barkley, Luton
“No one like Ross Barkley makes me happy, makes me feel that way.” Luton fans could sing the song of the season, to the tune of Chaka Khan's funky classic – for one of their standout players. Kenilworth Road seemed simply the latest stop in Barkley's sad decline, which had been steady since he swapped Everton blue for Chelsea in 2018. But in a new, deeper position and wearing the number 6 shirt, the 30-year-old It has been a revelation. Luton managed to secure his signature on a free transfer, which surely made him the bargain of the season. It helps that Barkley is at a club and under a coach where his talents are unique and revered. The bad news for the relegated Hatters is that they will surely face a fight to retain him this summer.
Adam Wharton, Crystal Palace
Life at Palace could hardly have got off to a worse start for the Blackburn lad. Two days after signing for an initial £18m, Wharton came on after 28 minutes with Palace trailing 1-0 to rivals Brighton. Six minutes later, Palace had conceded twice more, and Wharton was guilty of losing possession of Brighton's third. The Eagles lost 4-1 on that day in early February, but the languid midfielder has started every game since then and has been key in Palace becoming one of the most exciting sides in the league under Oliver Glasner. Such is the quality of Wharton's passing, movement and positioning that Gareth Southgate is reportedly considering him for the Euros and Bayern Munich have recently been linked with a £60m move, which would represent a triple return for Palace in less than four months. “He's stepped up very quickly,” Glasner said before Palace's 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United. “His decision-making, his pre-orientation, his one- or two-touch solutions are amazing.”
Micky van de Ven, Tottenham
There are some impressive left centre-backs who could have been on this list (Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, Nottingham Forest's Jeison Murillo, Aston Villa's Pau Torres), but Van de Ven is perhaps the most exciting new centre-back in the league since Rúben. Dias' arrival in 2020. Voted Tottenham's player of the season by fans this month despite missing three months due to injury, Van de Ven already looks like a finished product at the age of 23. The son of an undercover detective, the Dutch defender does not go unnoticed: he is 6' 4” tall, wonderfully aggressive on the ball and also has a good eye for goal. Against Brentford in January, the £34.5m signing recorded the highest speed ever achieved by a Premier League player since records began in 2020: 23.22 mph.
Kai Havertz, Arsenal
It seems like an eternity ago that Havertz swapped blue for red, joining Arsenal from Chelsea last June for £65m. Initially deployed as a serpentine number 8 by Mikel Arteta (and even as a left-back for Germany in November), Havertz only scored once (from a penalty) for his new club in his first 19 games and was widely doubted. But since becoming a false nine, the 24-year-old has been absolutely indispensable to the Gunners with his goals, combination play, aerial threat and selfless work rate – no Premier League striker has covered more ground in 90 minutes than Havertz. Without him, Arsenal surely would not have challenged for the title. The scary thing is that while Havertz is already an elite Champions League-winning striker with a wealth of experience, it still feels like there is still room for improvement. Waka Waka.
Cole Palmer, Chelsea
Last summer, Palmer was linked with a loan move to Burnley. This summer, the Chelsea playmaker will go to the European Championship with England as one of the fittest players in all of Europe. Palmer, who turned 22 on May 6, is only the third player in history to have involved more than 30 goals in a Premier League season aged 21 or under, after Robbie Fowler and Chris Sutton. From his laid-back style to his 'Cold' Palmer celebrations, the Wythenshawe-born youngster oozes confidence and class, with some of his performances bordering on jokey, particularly his four-goal haul against Everton. When Palmer was too ill to face Arsenal last month, Mauricio Pochettino said it was “a good challenge for the teammates” to replace him. “This is Chelsea Football Club, not Cole Palmer Football Club,” said the Blues coach. The result – 5-0 to the gunners – suggests the opposite.
