The Premier League Hall of Fame has become a permanent feature of the competition’s modern story. For a player to be eligible for a place in the Premier League’s Hall of Fame, they must have made 250 appearances in the division since its 1992 inauguration or achieved one of the following:

The list of inductees reads like a roll call of defining figures. The Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer has just a single league title to his name, but he’ll likely remain a record-holder unless Harry Kane opts to make a comeback post-Bayern Munich. Shearer’s greatest collective success came with Blackburn Rovers, but he’s immortalised on Tyneside.

Many regard Henry as the greatest Premier League player there’s been. The dazzling French forward has the collective accolades and individual achievements to supply a compelling case. Cantona was utterly unique. Man Utd took a flyer on Cantona at the start of the Premier League era, but the Frenchman proved to be the making of the Red Devils’ 90s dynasty.

Roy Keane is presented as arguably the greatest captain the League has ever seen, while Lampard remains the highest scoring midfielder in the competition, with over 600 Premier League appearances and three league titles with Chelsea. Bergkamp is remembered for sustained runs of brilliance that propelled Arsenal to league titles.

Beckham’s off-field prominence often overshadowed his on-field quality, but he was one of the stars of Premier League football in the 90s. Rooney’s arrival felt inevitable and he was a constant thorn for many opponents at the Theatre of Dreams. Vieira was an early Wenger recruit and the leader of Arsenal teams that conquered the country on multiple occasions.

Drogba’s 254 Premier League appearances all came for Chelsea, where he won four league titles. Kompany won Premier League Player of the Season during Man City’s dramatic 2011–12 success. Schmeichel redefined goalkeeping for his era. Scholes, part of the Class of ’92, evolved into a classy deep-lying performer. Ian Wright struck 113 Premier League goals and claimed a title in 1997–98.

Managers are represented too. Ferguson spent 26 years at United and inspired 13 league titles. Wenger managed a record 828 games and remains the only ‘Invincible’ manager in Premier League history.

Defenders and goalkeepers feature prominently: Adams, Čech, Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are all included for their defining contributions. The Hall of Fame collects these careers to explain why each figure matters to the competition’s history.

The 2025 summer window has reshaped Arsenal’s squad and left manager Arteta with a clearer selection for his preferred starting XI. A small tweak to formation could unlock this group further, but on paper the personnel now suggest an exciting attacking identity and more depth across the pitch.

David Raya has established himself as the number one since taking over the job from Aaron Ramsdale. Two Premier League Golden Gloves in a row will do that. The Spaniard has already signalled an intention for a three-peat with two clean sheets out of three games. If not for a Dominik Szoboszlai world-class free kick, he’d have three out of three. Kepa Arrizabalaga represents reliable cup cover rather than a direct threat to Raya’s place.

At right back, Jurrien Timber offers a different skillset to Ben White, often showing midfielder-like dribbling and attacking intent. Timber’s defensive moments can still improve, but his form and goals early in the season underline his claim on the role.

William Saliba returns as the defensive cornerstone, a key part of the league’s best centre back pairing alongside Gabriel. The two operate with strong mutual understanding. Gabriel’s development since arriving from Lille has been vital, and keeping him fit remains crucial even with new additions.

Calafiori’s first season at the club was a rollercoaster, alternating between influential attacking displays and fitness setbacks. When fit, he often inverts into midfield and contributes in build up, though defensive awareness can be inconsistent. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Piero Hincapié remain options if form or fitness dip.

Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi look set to form a double pivot. Rice’s versatility and leadership make him a constant starter. Zubimendi has shown promise in preseason but needs time to settle to reach his full potential.

Further forward, Martin Ødegaard must regain the influence he produced in 2022–23 if the team is to maximise the new attacking pieces. Eberechi Eze provides a creative spark, likely used on the left to complement Ødegaard and link with the striker. Bukayo Saka remains indispensable, though his fitness is a clear concern after hamstring problems; Noni Madueke offers cover.

Viktor Gyökeres is the main striker after the summer signing. Two goals in three games suggest a solid start, while Kai Havertz could challenge for minutes once fully recovered from knee surgery. The selection balance between Gyökeres and Havertz may depend on opposition and fitness as the season unfolds.

Viktor Gyökeres received sharp criticism from Swedish media after a subdued outing in Sweden’s 2–0 defeat to Kosovo in Pristina. The Arsenal forward had begun his international campaign by teeing up Sweden’s second goal in a 2–2 draw with Slovenia, but he struggled to influence the contest in Kosovo.

Statistics from the match underline the frustration: Gyökeres took 44 touches, 12 of them inside Kosovo’s penalty area, yet managed to force Arijanet Muric into only one save across his 90 minutes.

Expressen were particularly severe in their assessment. “It is noticeable that he is not in his best shape, the touch is not quite there and Gyökeres often lost the ball,” wrote Therese Strömberg and Linus Petersson. “He did dig up a couple of half-chances in the first half, but it is not enough. This was too bad a performance by the attacking star.”

Fotbollskanalen offered a milder read, judging him “acceptable” in the first half but calling him “invisible” after the interval.

Observers have contrasted the current impression with Gyökeres’s reputation at Sporting CP, where his physique was a regular talking point. His former manager Ruben Amorim liked to joke that he had a body “from God,” yet there has been a repeated sense of sluggishness in his earliest appearances at Arsenal.

That slow start can be traced in part to timing around the transfer. Much like Isak, Gyökeres snubbed Sporting’s pre-season training to secure his Premier League switch, only joining up midway through Arsenal’s tour of Asia.

After a disjointed Premier League debut against Manchester United, Mikel Arteta acknowledged the need to work on the striker’s adaptation. “You can tell especially in our high press and rhythm that we demand, that especially in the first half we were giving a bit too much time. It is something that we have to work on him, especially there.”

For now, the scrutiny from Sweden focuses on conditioning and timing as Gyökeres seeks to translate his club potential into consistent international performances.