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The race for Premier League Player of the Season: Fernandes, Gabriel or Rice?
As we push through the crucial month of March in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, the race for the Player of the Season award is fiercely contested.
Three players stand out for their immense contributions, Manchester United’s creative force Bruno Fernandes, and Arsenal’s defensive spine in Gabriel Magalhães and midfield commander Declan Rice.
Bruno Fernandes: The Creative Engine
If the award was strictly based on attacking output, Bruno Fernandes would be running away with it.
The Portuguese maestro has racked up an astonishing 16 assists to go alongside his 7 goals in just 27 league appearances.
He currently leads the Premier League with 76 key passes and is threatening Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s all-time single-season assist record (20).
He is the undeniable catalyst for Man United, single-handedly pulling the strings and keeping them firmly in the hunt for a top-three finish.
Gabriel Magalhães: The Defensive Colossus
On the other side of the ball, Gabriel Magalhães has been an absolute titan. Arsenal are currently sitting at the summit of the Premier League, and their title charge is built upon a rock-solid foundation.
Gabriel has not only anchored a defense that boasts an impressive 14 clean sheets this season, but he has also chipped in with 3 goals and 4 assists from center-back.
Boasting a duel success rate of nearly 68% and winning crucial aerial battles week in and week out, he is a nightmare for opposition strikers.
Declan Rice: The Midfield Maestro
Declan Rice continues to justify every penny of his price tag, morphing into the complete midfielder.
Operating at the heart of Arsenal’s system, Rice has registered 4 goals and 7 assists in 30 appearances, but his real value lies deeper.
He boasts a passing accuracy north of 90%, leads his team in ball recoveries (148), and dominates progressive carries (145).
With Martin Zubimendi handling more of the deep defensive duties, Rice has been unleashed, consistently breaking lines and driving Arsenal forward while simultaneously snuffing out counter-attacks.
The Verdict – Who should win?
While Bruno Fernandes’ sheer weight of assists is staggering, Player of the Season awards almost always favour the defining figure of the league’s most successful team.
Gabriel Magalhães has a fantastic shout as the league’s premier defender, but Declan Rice edges it as the most deserving candidate.
He is the glue that binds Arsenal’s elite defense with their fluid attack. Rice’s ability to dominate the midfield physically while dictating play technically makes him the single most irreplaceable player on the pitch for the league leaders.
If Arsenal go on to lift the Premier League trophy, it will be Rice’s commanding presence in the middle of the park that ultimately seals the deal.
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