Hayters’ 2025 awards: Best player, team, moment and MORE

As 2025 draws to a close, our writers at Hayters.com reflect on the past year and make their picks for player of the year, team of the year, the most memorable moment and much more.

Here’s what each of our writers picked for our awards categories…

Nayan Murthy

Player of the year: Erling Haaland. Not a controversial choice but he is making sure Arsenal have some sort of competition at the top of the table this season and has scored an incredible amount of goals in 2025.

Team of the year: Arsenal. Over 2025, they have been consistently brilliant, did well to keep up the place with a rampant Liverpool last season and are top of the Premier League and Champions League at the moment too.

Biggest surprise of the year: Liverpool’s downfall. They were by far and away the best team in the league last season and yet after spending over £400 million they have somehow regressed below Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa under Arne Slot. Not sure anyone predicted that before the season started.

Memorable moment: Spurs winning the Europa League in Bilbao. Despite a very poor year, to lift their first bit of silverware in 17 years was something special.

Young player of the year: Nico O’Reilly, Maybe an outside shout but he has worked his way into the England squad at just 20-years-old and has stated a real case to be the starting left back at next year’s World Cup. He has fitted seamlessly into a Manchester City side full of elite talent.

Best transfer: Granit Xhaka. The heartbeat of a Sunderland side punching well above their weight. Overshadowed in the summer by Liverpool’s big-money moves but he has been excellent this season.

Biggest flop: Abdukodir Khusanov. Very harsh to call any 21-year-old a flop but he moved to Manchester City in January to try and sure up their defence and has not managed to do that so far, making big mistakes from the off.

Japtej Ghura

Player of the year: Erling Haaland has been far and away the best player, both of the calendar year and of this season.

Team of the year: Arsenal. You don’t win prizes for finishing second but Arsenal have won my respect. Their consistency is remarkable and I think this will be the season that they win the league.

Surprise of the year: Jeremy Doku is reaching a new level this season. I have long been a Doku fan and it has been a joy (and surprise) to see the level he is now playing at. He is easily one of the best wingers in the league right now. 

Memorable moment: Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth on 15th August. It was the first game of the season and Liverpool managed to win, but it was blatantly clear that there were huge issues with the team. Those issues have just gotten worse.

Young player of the year: Estevao. Covering Chelsea, I am lucky enough to watch him often, and he is one of the most exciting wingers I’ve seen in years. And he is just going from strength to strength.

Best transfer: Martin Zubimendi. He has started almost every game since joining Arsenal and has been brilliant. His reading of the game is second to none and he is a joy to watch in the midfield. 

Biggest flop: Alexander Isak. This latest injury is not his fault but his lack of goals and the way he has played has not been good enough. Slot and Liverpool will hope to see the Isak of Newcastle in 2026.

Stan Smith

Player of the year: Declan Rice ended last season in brilliant form and has begun this one in the same manner. The multifaceted midfielder plays a vital role in the team that are currently leading the league, and he has been the best and most consistent performer across the calendar year.

Team of the year: Crystal Palace. 2025 will live long in the memory of Crystal Palace fans, and for good reason. The Eagles went unbeaten for 19 games (and almost half the year), played in Europe for the first time and lifted the FA Cup – the first major trophy in the club’s 119-year history.

Biggest surprise of the year: Sunderland The Black Cats have returned to the big time in some style. From their dramatic comeback victory in the play-off final, to their electric start in the Premier League, few supporters could even have dreamt of it.

Memorable moment: Postecoglou’s promise. Ange Postecoglou was ridiculed for his repeated promise that he would lead Tottenham to a trophy in his second season, but he absolutely delivered on it.

Young player of the year: Rayan Cherki may have only been in the Premier League for a few months, but he is already shining. Possessing flair and skill reminiscent of a bygone time, the 22-year-old is second in the league for assists this season, despite missing almost two months with injury.

Best transfer: Granit Xhaka’s return to the Premier League has been just as emphatic as that of the club he signed for – Sunderland. The Swiss midfielder has been crucial to their success and arrived at the Stadium of Light for just £13 million – mere pocket change in the modern game.

Biggest flop: Alexander Isak. It is probably a toss up between Liverpool’s two mega money signings – Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Since he already possessed Premier League experience, I will go with the £125 million striker who has scored just three in 16 appearances across all competitions. A broken leg is certainly not going to help the move.

Gerry Cox

Player of the year: Erling Haaland is out on his own as the best striker in England now that Harry Kane has left. The Norwegian scored 57 goals in 57 games during 2025, although Kane scored 59 in the same time and won the Bundesliga title, while Haaland ended up empty-handed.

Team of the year: Aston Villa – more league wins (22) in 2025 than reigning Champions Liverpool (20), and level on victories with current leaders Arsenal. Only Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta (both 77 points) have won more points in 2025 than Unai Emery (73).

Biggest surprise of the year: Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup AND Community Shield AND playing in Europe. The Eagles had never won a major trophy before, and Brighton away had been their closest to playing in Europe. Magnifique.

Memorable moment: Hard to choose between Chloe Kelly’s winning penalty in the final of Euro 2025, and Brennan Johnson’s Europa League winner for Spurs. Kelly’s was more spectacular, Johnson’s slightly less powerful but more significant by ending Tottenham’s long trophy drought.

Young player of the year: Morgan Rogers scored 15 goals and created many more for Villa in their Premier League and Champions League campaigns, as well as getting his first appearance for England, where he is making a case for a starting place at the World Cup. A sensational 12 months. 

Best transfer: Granit Xhaka has helped transform Sunderland since his move from Leverkusen for £13m, a steal for such a leader. Chloe Kelly’s switch from Man Utd outcast to Champions League winner at Arsenal and Euro 2025 heroine with England was the best move of the year, though.

Biggest flop: So much expected from the big moves of big beasts Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, but so little back in return. Rarely have three of the biggest transfers of the summer produced such underwhelming returns.

Nazira Yusuf

Player of the year: Mohamed Salah. Liverpool’s Egyptian king no doubt has had a landmark campaign during the 2024/25 campaign, leading the Reds to their 20th league title and it was among the 33-year-old’s best to date. He registered 29 league goals, and a career-best of 18 assists. It was enough to claim his fourth Golden Boot.

Biggest surprise of the year: Sunderland. After an eight-year absence from the top flight, they were expected to struggle, but have instead performed exceptionally well.

Memorable moment: For me personally, Liverpool winning their 20th title was the standout moment of 2025, marking a historic milestone and reaffirming the club’s place at the top of English football.

Young player of the year: Morgan Rogers has five goals and three assists in 16 Premier League games this season and has been consistent with his output.

Best transfer: Granit Xhaxa. The Switzerland international has been outstanding at Sunderland, captaining the side and emerging as a true leader on the pitch. His influence, intensity and winning mentality have embodied the spirit of Régis Le Bris’ team, making him a driving force behind their success and one of the signings of 2025.

Biggest flop: Jadon Sancho. He came to England with a reputation of a sensational winger whilst at Borrusia Dortmund but was loaned out to Chelsea and now Aston Villa, and hasn’t shown what had been hoped of him.

Dan Bennett

Player of the year: Erling Haaland. His goal record speaks for itself and it still feels like there is more to come form the Norwegian. A phenomenal player.

Team of the year: The past couple of months have perhaps made this a questionable choice but I’m still going with Liverpool for my pick. They were terrific last season, by far the best team in the Premier League and have shown signs of late that they can have a better second half of this campaign.

Biggest surprise of the year: Tottenham ending their trophy drought while somehow managing to finish 17th in the Premier League. Utterly bizarre.

Memorable moment: Local lad Tommy Watson firing Sunderland into the Premier League in his final game for the club before moving to Brighton. An incredible moment.

Young player of the year: Adam Wharton. Played a crucial role in Crystal Palace winning their first major trophy and sealing qualification for Europe. Still only 21 and looks destined for the top.

Best transfer: Sunderland’s Robin Roefs has quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and has been a huge part of why their defensive record is so good. An absolute steal at £11.5m.

Biggest flop: I thought Milos Kerkez was a fine addition for Liverpool but he has really struggled since he moved to Merseyside. Still plenty of time for him to improve but he has been a big weakness for Arne Slot’s side.

Nick Callow

Player of the year: Erling Haaland. Narrowly beaten in most individual awards last season as Mo Salah led Liverpool to a shock Premier League triumph, but the Norwegian forward has been even better since the summer awards. He averaged nearly a goal a game in 2025. Peerless.

Team of the year: Crystal Palace. The south London side not only won the FA Cup for the first time in their history, but they beat the almighty Manchester City in the final. In doing so they earned a place in European competition for the first time too and then doubled down on their May Wembley triumph by beating the seemingly invincible Liverpool in the Community Shield. Fairytale stuff.

Biggest surprise of the year: Harry Kane and Tottenham winning a trophy. The Bundesliga and Europa League are not the biggest prizes in football, but when the silverware cupboard has empty for so long they all count and how Kane and his former club deservedly celebrated their respective triumphs in style.

Memorable moment: Contenders include Arsenal Women winning the Champions League, Newcastle United’s League Cup win and Palace, as above, but the winner for me was England’s historic back-to-back Women’s Euro final in a penalty shoot-out defeat of Spain.

Young player of the year:  Just beating Myles Lewis-Skelly was his Arsenal Women’s colleague Michelle Agyemang. The 19-year-old enjoyed helped the Lionesses win Euro 2025, scoring off the bench in quarter-final win against Sweden and in the semi-final victory over Italy. Was also named young player of the tournament, the Golden Girl trophy for the best young player in Europe and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

Best transfer: Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen to Sunderland, £12m). Left arsenal in his prime to win the Bundesliga as an Invincible with Leverkusen and seemed set for life. Then, to everyone’s surprise, answered an SOS call from newly promoted Sunderland to help them service in the Premier League. They have thrived under his leadership and go into the New Year already looking safe from the drop and possible European contenders.

Biggest flop: Alex Isak (Newcastle to Liverpool £125M) this was the move tipped to make Liverpool untouchable. Sadly, for him and the club, he ended the year with a broken leg, but his two Premier League goals for a side so strong tell the true story of the move he pushed so hard for.