Arsenal finally shed the 'nearly men' tag in 2025-26, securing their first Premier League title in over two decades under Mikel Arteta's steely guidance. The Gunners built an early lead and never relinquished it, fending off Pep Guardiola's Manchester City with a blend of defensive organisation and set‑piece mastery. David Raya, the unflappable goalkeeper, claimed a third consecutive Golden Glove with 19 clean sheets, his gravity‑defying save at West Ham widely seen as the season's turning point. Arteta's obsession with control paid off, and the Basque's duel with his old mentor became the narrative spine of the campaign.
The debate over player of the season raged among Guardian writers, but Raya's consistency in the finest margins set him apart. Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United's talisman, drew admiring words for his 'swagger' and creativity under Michael Carrick, while Declan Rice's relentless energy and set‑piece delivery made him the heartbeat of Arsenal's charge. However, in a title race decided by defensive steel, Raya's shot‑stopping and distribution from the back gave Arsenal an extra layer of assurance that no outfield peer could match. Fernandes still broke the assists record, but Arsenal's triumph meant the Golden Glove winner earned the decisive vote.
Managerial masterstrokes defined the season beyond the champions. Andoni Iraola bid an emotional farewell to Bournemouth by guiding the Cherries to sixth place and a historic Europa League spot, all while balancing the £250m sale of key assets. Régis Le Bris, in Sunderland's first top‑flight campaign since promotion via the play‑offs, led the Black Cats into Europe, a feat achieved with tactical versatility and the mid‑season signing of French playmaker Enzo Le Fée. Le Fée's arrival for a modest fee proved transformative; his vision and tenacity sparked Sunderland's late surge, earning him a cult hero status on Wearside.
The summer transfer window and January dealings reshaped the landscape dramatically. Liverpool shattered records with a £125m swoop for Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, but the Swedish striker's impact was cruelly curtailed when he broke his leg, leaving a void in the Reds' attack. Manchester City, reacting to a rare trophy‑less domestic campaign, flexed their financial muscle: Antoine Semenyo arrived from Bournemouth in a January deal that eventually delivered an FA Cup winner, while Rayan Cherki added flair from Lyon. Arsenal themselves strengthened by landing Viktor Gyökeres, adding further firepower to a squad already brimming with confidence.
Elsewhere, Chelsea paid £60m to bring João Pedro from Brighton, seeking to inject unpredictability into their forward line. Bournemouth's recruitment continued to impress, with Adrien Truffert joining from Rennes for £11m and Eli Junior Kroupi added for £12m, underscoring their knack for unearthing value. Manchester United, under the steadying hand of Michael Carrick, secured Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for less than £20m as a long‑term goalkeeping solution. Leeds United pulled off a savvy free transfer, convincing Dominic Calvert‑Lewin to cross the Pennines after his Everton contract expired. And in one of the more romantic moves, Granit Xhaka swapped Bayer Leverkusen's midfield for Sunderland in a £13m deal, bringing experience and steel to Le Bris's project.
Sunderland's rise was arguably the story of the season. After scraping through the play‑offs, they were tipped for an immediate return to the Championship. Instead, Le Bris engineered a side that defended resolutely and attacked with verve, led by the mesmeric Le Fée. The Frenchman's ability to see passes others couldn't and his willingness to graft off the ball turned Sunderland into a side that could genuinely trouble the established order. Their Europa League qualification, secured on the final day, sparked wild celebrations and left pundits revising their expectations for 2026‑27.
Injuries cast a shadow over the campaign's climax. Isak's broken leg not only dented Liverpool's top‑four push but also robbed the World Cup of one of its most dynamic forwards. Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, a player who had lit up the league with his dribbling, suffered an injury that ruled him out of Japan's squad for the same tournament. These setbacks added a layer of human drama to the relentless fixture list, with clubs already nervously eyeing the summer's international commitments and the toll they might take.
Bournemouth's achievement under Iraola cannot be overstated. Selling Semenyo in January might have derailed a lesser side, but the Cherries' collective spirit and smart reinvestment kept them ahead of Brentford and others. Truffert and Kroupi slotted in seamlessly, and the south coast club will head into Europe with justified optimism, even as they brace for more predatory interest in their talented squad. Iraola's departure for a top European job feels inevitable, but his legacy on the training ground will endure.
Manchester United's revival under Carrick deserves its own chapter. Appointed amid the chaos of Ruben Amorim's short reign, Carrick ditched the rigid 3‑4‑3 for a fluid 4‑2‑3‑1, liberating Fernandes to play his best football in years. The Portuguese midfielder's 20‑plus assists and general artistry propelled United back into the Champions League places, restoring a sense of identity that had been missing. Lammens, though yet to debut, represents the kind of forward‑thinking signing that suggests a club finally learning from past errors.
As the dust settles, the Premier League's depth has never been more compelling. Arsenal's title was built on defensive cohesion, but the chasing pack has been emboldened. Liverpool will hope Isak's recovery goes smoothly, City will integrate Semenyo and Cherki into their evolving system, and Chelsea, under yet another new direction, will pray João Pedro can deliver. Meanwhile, Sunderland and Bournemouth have proven that smart coaching and sharp recruitment can punch holes in the financial ceiling. With the World Cup on the horizon, the 2026‑27 season already crackles with intrigue.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.
