Mohamed Salah loved a record-breaking Premier League season in 2024/25, firing Liverpool to the title with 29 objectives and 18 assists. The Egyptian winger was nearly unstoppable, scooping the Participant of the Season award for a second time and reminding everybody why he’s nonetheless probably the greatest on the planet.
Commercial
However because the 2025/26 marketing campaign kicks off, Salah’s crown is beneath severe menace.
With Erling Haaland hungry for redemption, Alexander Isak hitting new heights, and two main arrivals in Florian Wirtz and Viktor Gyokeres, the competitors for particular person honours has by no means been fiercer.
Listed here are our predictions of the 5 gamers almost definitely to win the – and Salah shouldn’t be #1.
#5 Florian Wirtz
Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported charge of £107 million, Florian Wirtz will improve competitors for locations at Anfield.
Extra importantly, the 22-year-old ahead ought to be the brand new inventive power on Merseyside and probably show to be Philippe Coutinho’s long-lost successor at Anfield.
Commercial
Wirtz fared outstandingly on the BayArena final time period, tallying 10 objectives and 13 assists in 31 Bundesliga fixtures.
That’s nonetheless a far cry from the numbers latest Golden Boot winners have posted, plus he must share the scoring burden with Salah.
It’s not straightforward to reside within the shadow of the Reds’ talisman, however discovering a option to thrive subsequent to probably the greatest gamers within the Premier League is the one approach for Wirtz to justify his price ticket.
#4 Matheus Cunha
Matheus Cunha could not have been well-known for his goal-scoring abilities, however he was, nonetheless, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ standout performer final season.
Commercial
With 15 objectives, he was within the high ten within the Premier League, whereas his general performances by no means ceased to amaze, ultimately incomes him a £62.5m switch to Manchester United.
Now, Outdated Trafford has turn out to be a graveyard for expertise. However maybe the tutelage of Ruben Amorim may lastly flip the membership’s fortunes round, with Cunha on the centre of the revolution.
Alongside Bryan Mbeumo, the Brazilian ahead ought to be the architect of a brand new period on the Theatre of Goals, with the Pink Devils searching for a long-awaited return to the throne.
#3 Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres left English soccer two years in the past to hitch Sporting CP as an up-and-coming striker with untapped potential, following two seasons at Coventry Metropolis.
Commercial
Now he returns to the British Islands as one in every of Europe’s most deadly goal-scorers, with perennial title candidates Arsenal forking out £54.8m to make him their new No.9.
Gyokeres could possibly be the lacking part in Arsenal’s assault, providing the physicality and of entirety they’ve lacked in latest title pushes.
With the Gunners aiming to enhance on three consecutive runner-up finishes, Mikel Arteta’s hopes of halting Arsenal’s title drought will doubtless relaxation on the 2-year-old’s shoulders.
#2 Mohamed Salah
As aforementioned, Salah had an awe-inspiring season final time period, however it’s value noting that he turned 33 in June.
Commercial
With that in thoughts, Liverpool can’t realistically anticipate one other record-breaking marketing campaign from their long-serving stalwart.
Nonetheless, it’s not possible to rule the Premier League Participant of the Season out of the equation, irrespective of the age.
What may undermine Salah’s pursuit of his third Participant of The Season award could possibly be Liverpool’s versatility within the last third.
Other than Wirtz, the Reds have signed Hugo Ekitike, considerably growing their firepower.
That further competitors in assault may derail Salah’s figures.
#1 Erling Haaland
Maybe it’s time for the Norwegian to return to the rostrum.
After a completely disappointing 2024/25 season, Man Metropolis will come again with vengeance.
Commercial
Haaland shall be central to Pep Guardiola’s quest to retrieve the title regardless of a number of summer time signings.
The 25-year-old gained the Golden Boot in his first two years on the Etihad Stadium, together with a record-breaking 2022/23 season with 36 objectives in 35 video games.
Nobody would dare to place it previous the ex-Borussia Dortmund star to smash a 30-goal barrier once more this time period and, in flip, win the award.
