Top 10 Best Arsenal Players Currently (Ranked)

For three consecutive years, Arsenal finished 2nd in the English Premier League. Fans are becoming restless with Mikel Arteta under increased pressure as each season passes by. They seem to lack the final piece of the puzzle to take them to the next level, and the 2025-26 season could be crucial. Since the 2003-04 Arsenal Invincibles season, they haven’t won the Premier League for over 20+ years now. But from all the disappointing campaigns in the past decade, Mikel Arteta got this Arsenal team gunning down teams in almost all matches. Some of the best Arsenal players are William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice, to name a few.

With captain Martin Ødegaard leading the line for the Gunners for some time now, Arsenal finished second to Liverpool in the Premier League for the 2024-25 campaign. Likewise, they defeated Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Hence, there is progress for the team, and we look at the Top 10 best Arsenal players for the 2024-25 campaign on this list.

List of Arsenal Best Football Players

The list of Arsenal best football players includes some exciting names who had their breakthrough season. However, with the club enduring injury troubles throughout the campaign, they didn’t find the consistency they needed to close out games. When one star came in, the other star went out, becoming a conveyor belt of injured footballers in the physio’s room. Yet, players like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, and Myles Lewis-Skelly all stepped up when it mattered.

Rank	Player Name	Age	Position	Appearances	Country
10.	Myles Lewis-Skelly	18	Left Back	39	England
09.	Gabriel Martinelli	24	Winger	225	Brazil
08.	Jurrien Timber	24	Right Back	51	Netherlands
07.	David Raya	29	Goalkeeper	96	Spain
06.	Martin Ødegaard	26	Attacking Midfielder	178	Norway
05.	Kai Havertz	26	Forward	87	Germany
04.	Gabriel Magalhães	27	Defender	210	Brazil
03.	William Saliba	24	Defender	134	France
02.	Bukayo Saka	23	Winger	263	England
01.	Declan Rice	26	Midfielder	103	England

Do note that the above appearances are for the Arsenal football club and not for their career appearances.

How We Ranked the Best Players of Arsenal

In terms of the list, we ranked the Top 10 Arsenal best football players using different parameters. There are three parameters: Individual performances (stats), impact in big matches, and versatility and tactical flexibility. These factors determine the player rankings to determine who is the best football player in Arsenal.

• Individual performance (stats): The holy grail for determining a football’s impact is individual performance based on stats. Be it goals or assists, tackles, chances created, and even xG, these stats give fans an understanding of the players’ impact. The best Arsenal players are ranked accordingly, and stats become a mainstay in most rankings.
• Impact in big matches: Some players often perform remarkably well during the regular season, and others wilt during high-intensity matches. It’s the ability to handle pressure and perform at the highest level that makes or breaks footballers’ careers.
• Versatility and Tactical Flexibility: Players’ versatility and tactical flexibility remain essential components when choosing them. It’s a manager’s dream to have versatile players all over the pitch. Hence, the tactical flexibility they offer and the efficient rotation of positions make them distinct from the rest.

Who Is the Best Football Player in Arsenal in 2025?

A number of candidates raised the bar in terms of the best Arsenal players, and some didn’t deliver. We go through the list to find Declan Rice, the best football player at Arsenal, and why he separates himself from the rest. Please note that the ranking is based on the English Premier League season, and all stats taken adhere to the domestic league campaign.

10. Myles Lewis-Skelly (Left Back)

Hale End Academy has recently witnessed some of the best players rise through the ranks. Bukayo Saka inspired those young boys, and Myles Lewis-Skelly became the latest to come up through the ranks. Chest up, not shy away from duels, and a solid appetite for the game, Lewis-Skelly impressed fans and pundits alike in a breakthrough 2024-25 campaign. He put up a fearless display of full-back brilliance against Real Madrid in both legs of the Champions League. Also, he scored a sensational goal against Manchester City in the Premier League.

Lewis-Skelly initially started as a central midfielder in the Arsenal academy but made his left-back position his own for Arsenal. Despite the Gunners signing Ricardo Calafiori, MLS didn’t put a foot wrong, which cemented his place as a left-back in the league. He overlaps when needed and comes inside the midfield to provide an extra body for Arsenal’s attacks. Not shy to get past a defender and showing extreme composure for a guy his age, Myles Lewis-Skelly put up a pass accuracy% of 93.6 in the Premier League. Thus, the 18-year-old has great potential and looks to improve in the next campaign.

Appearances	Duels Won%	Successful Crosses per 90	Tackles won per 90
39	69.7%	0.26	0.92

09. Gabriel Martinelli (Winger)

After six seasons with the Gunners and amassing 225 appearances, the jury’s still out on Gabriel Martinelli. He’s often a frustrating player to watch because he still has loads of untapped potential, and a breakout campaign isn’t far away yet. Getting his head up while playing will make him an unstoppable force as Martinelli had a decent campaign for Arsenal during the 2024-25. But he’s nowhere near the best player at Arsenal with the current run of form.

For a player who scored 15 goals in the 2022-23 season, the last two seasons saw Martinelli score 14 goals combined. Although his progressive carries remain good, he remains clueless when he reaches the final third. His carries to the final third have also reduced to 33 from 65, which he managed in three seasons. It’s probably make or break for Martinelli next season, considering the aggressive approach Arsenal takes in the market.

Appearances	Goals +Assists	Dribble success%	Successful crosses per 90
51	15	35.5%	0.86

08. Jurrien Timber (Right Back)

If someone asked who is the best football player in Arsenal at the full-back position, most people would go with Jurrien Timber. After missing his debut season with an ACL injury, Timber had a point to prove, and he certainly is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League right now. Vinicius Junior struggled to get past him in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Timber, who shut down the world-class winger with controlled aggression. In the first leg at the Emirates against Real Madrid, Timber won eight duels against the rampaging Spanish giants.

Most of their play came from the left wing with Mbappe and Vinicius Junior dragging to the left. In the Premier League, he showed his attacking side of play, complementing Saka on the right wing and overlapping at will. Timber had 2.60 touches in the opposition box, showcasing his desire to get into the final third. He’s one of the best Arsenal players right now and has a promising future at the club.

Appearances	Duels Won%	Successful crosses per 90	Tackles won per 90
48	55.4%	0.15	1.41

07. David Raya (Goalkeeper)

Most fans called for Mikel Arteta’s head when he replaced Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya. Safe to say, those worries are put to rest. For two seasons in a row, David Raya won the Golden Glove award, showcasing why he’s Arsenal’s number one goalkeeper. Raya was an imposing figure who marshaled his penalty box, was brave at claiming crosses, and produced cat-like reflexes. Raya saved Arsenal numerous times in the season.

The Spanish goalkeeper is one of Arsenal best football players on the pitch, and his sweeper-keeper role remains crucial to the team. He made no errors leading to a goal and has a high claim per 90 rating of 1.39. With a pass accuracy of 70.6%, Raya starts most of Arsenal’s attacks with his accurate distribution. With the arrival of Kepa Arrizabalaga at Arsenal, the club has two solid keepers who can step up when counted upon.

Appearances	Clean Sheets	Save percentage	Goals Conceded per 90
55	13	71.7%	0.89

06. Martin Ødegaard (Attacking Midfielder)

Often ranking at the top of the list of best player of Arsenal, Martin Ødegaard didn’t have an influential season by his standards. An ankle injury kept him out for many months, and he didn’t look like the player who stitches everything for Arsenal. After 18 goals and assists in the 2023-24 campaign, Ødegaard’s numbers dropped to 11 goals and assists in the last campaign. He missed Saka on the right wing, as the right winger missed many games because of an injury, and they linked up well in the past. It’s probably one reason Arsenal didn’t perform well last season.

He had eight assists and created 63 chances throughout the season. In the first half of the season, he came up to show some glorious moments of playmaking, but lost his touch after his injury. However, he made 5.12 passes per 90 into the final third, and the lack of a striker hurt Arsenal. This became the difference for Arsenal as their lack of a pure goalscorer influenced the team’s goal-scoring ability. In turn, Ødegaard suffered as well.

Appearances	Goals + Assists	Chances created per 90	Touches in Opposition Box
45	17	2.44	4.68

ALSO READ: Top 10 Best Premier League Strikers (Currently Ranked)

05. Kai Havertz (Forward)

Again, one player who sparks furious debates amongst Arsenal fans is Kai Havertz. But he remains one of Arsenal best football players, and his stats and influence remain critical. Apart from nine goals in the Premier League, he’s more of a defensive type of forward who hassles opponents with his pressing and physical ability. He wins 3.12 aerial duels per 90, and his heading ability often goes unnoticed. But his finishing remains unconvincing.

His shots on target per 90 are 39.6, and his inability to hit the ball on target weakens Arsenal’s front line. Yet, with the German national becoming the team’s main forward, he does his dirty work for the team. But in terms of goal conversions, he only rates 67.8% compared to the player Arsenal is looking to bring in, Viktor Gyökeres, who had 95.3 in the last season. Thus, if Havertz needs to cement his starting lineup, he must score goals.

Appearances	Goals	Shot Conversion%	xG
36	9	67.8%	0.46

04. Gabriel Magalhães (Defender)

Some would say he’s the best player of Arsenal, and he certainly showcased why the club missed him when he got injured. Brave, strong, commanding, and aerially a monster, Gabriel defends the Arsenal box like a warrior. He puts his body on the line and is a goal threat for Arsenal’s offensive set pieces. The Brazilian center back scored three goals and won 55 aerial duels. Fans understood his importance to Saliba when Gabriel missed most games due to injury, and Saliba suffered as a result.

One part of his game that he improved last season was his pass accuracy. Accurately putting lofted through balls to the attackers, Gabriel’s passing accuracy improved to 90.7%. From a pure aggressive stopper to a ball-playing aggressive defender, Gabriel’s the rock at Arsenal. He is one of the best players of Arsenal in the past five years.

Appearances	Tackles won per 90	Aerial duels won per 90	Blocks per 90
42	0.57	2.09	0.27

03. William Saliba (Defender)

Everyone calls him the Rolls-Royce of center backs, as William Saliba continues to impress in his third season at Arsenal. He is one of the best Arsenal players in the back, and the team looks calm when he’s on the pitch. With his positioning spot on in most games and acting as a cover for Gabriel when he steps forward, Saliba orchestrates Arsenal’s gameplay from the back. His ability to shield the ball using his strength and underrated dribbling ability makes him one of the best players of Arsenal.

Even though he missed Gabriel after his injury, Saliba produced when it mattered in the UEFA Champions League. His pass accuracy was 94.6%, and his long ball accuracy stood at 63.6%. Moreover, his tackling ability fetched him 1.10 tackles per 90 and won 4.50 duels per 90. Those numbers remain crucial to Arsenal, and Saliba does the job in the back without any fuss.

Appearances	Tackles won per 90	Aerial duels won per 90	Blocks per 90
51	1.10	1.83	0.03

02. Bukayo Saka (Winger)

The Starboy of Arsenal, Bukayo Saka, lives and breathes Arsenal. He went through a struggling period at Arsenal and came alive to become a superstar for the club. The right winger becomes almost unstoppable to shut down with his unique dribbling ability, underrated physical strengths in shielding the ball, and improved shooting last season. Although he also missed multiple games for the club, Saka returned to provide a sensational performance against Real Madrid.

Whenever you watch Arsenal in the attacking phase, Saka is involved. Players form triangles around him, making him the center of Arsenal’s offense. He scored six goals and created ten assists in the 2024-25 campaign and became one of the best Arsenal players on the roster. His ability to dribble cannot be underestimated, as he averaged a 52.6% dribble success rate. If Arsenal signs Viktor Gyökeres, these two could have an impact on the club.

Appearances	Goals + Assists	Dribble Succes%	Successful crosses per 90
37	25	52.6%	1.92

01. Declan Rice (Midfielder)

Those two free kicks against Real Madrid pinned Declan Rice’s name at the top of Arsenal’s legends list. Moreover, he was arguably Arsenal best football players on the pitch. As a defensive midfielder, Rice’s qualities are limited to interceptions, blocks, and passing the ball to the forwards. But as a box-to-box midfielder, Rice ticks all the right boxes. He’s the engine behind Arsenal’s steamroller and drives the ball forward second to none.

With 2.66 progressive carries, Rice takes the pitch from the defensive third, pushes towards the midfield and the final third, and makes a chance out of nothing. This has been his 2024-25 season, which makes him one of the best Arsenal players. He also has a pass accuracy of 97.0% and reads the game well, making 1.59 interceptions per 90 minutes. Declan Rice is an all-action midfielder, and if Arsenal is to win the title next season, he will play a crucial role.

Appearances	Goals + Assists	Pass Accuracy	Progressive Carries per 90
52	19	97.0%	2.66

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