Former ArsenalTeam·Arsenal defender Bacary SagnaPlayer·Bacary Sagna has made a notable claim, asserting that current Gunners star Jurrien TimberPlayer·Jurrien Timber has been the best player globally throughout the 2025/26 season. This assessment arrives as ArsenalTeam·Arsenal celebrates a highly successful campaign, securing the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League title for the first time in 22 years and narrowly missing out on their inaugural Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League triumph, experiencing heartbreak in Budapest.
While Timber has garnered praise for his performances, the broader footballing community has often highlighted other individuals for top accolades. Within the ArsenalTeam·Arsenal squad, players like Declan RicePlayer·Declan Rice and David RayaPlayer·David Raya have frequently been mentioned for individual honours. Across Europe's top leagues, the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League Player of the Season award went to Bruno FernandesPlayer·Bruno Fernandes of Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United, while BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona's RaphinhaPlayer·Raphinha was recognised in La LigaCompetition·La Liga. InterTeam·Inter's Federico DimarcoPlayer·Federico Dimarco earned Serie ACompetition·Serie A MVP, Michael OlisePlayer·Michael Olise of Bayern MunichTeam·Bayern Munich claimed the BundesligaCompetition·Bundesliga Player of the Season, and PSG's Ousmane DembelePlayer·Ousmane Dembele received the nod in Ligue 1Competition·Ligue 1.
Sagna, however, believes Timber's consistent output surpasses all others.
"For me, Timber is the Player of the Season for Arsenal. He has been very solid. Going forward one on one has been good and he is probably the most consistent player in the team. He always delivers and he is just super consistent. If I have to give an award to the best player of the season in the whole world, I would give it to Timber."— Bacary Sagna.
The former France international, who made 284 appearances for ArsenalTeam·Arsenal between 2007 and 2014, also offered high praise for other key figures in the Gunners' squad. He placed midfielder Declan RicePlayer·Declan Rice among the top three players in his position globally, acknowledging his significant physical presence and tactical intelligence.
"To define a player as the best player is tough, because there is a lot of competition out there. Everyone has different characteristics. But surely, Rice is in the top three in his position," Sagna stated, adding, "His physical presence is incredible. He is maybe not that type of player who is shining all the time, but he is always in the right spot at the right time. He is stopping the counter attacks and is reading the game perfectly."
Sagna further lauded the central defensive partnership of William SalibaPlayer·William Saliba and GabrielPlayer·Gabriel Magalhães, commending their fearlessness and effectiveness in neutralizing formidable opponents, including Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City's Erling HaalandPlayer·Erling Haaland. These strong individual performances, according to Sagna, underscore ArsenalTeam·Arsenal's depth and quality, suggesting the club may not require significant reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window.
Bacary Sagna playing for Auxerre against Nantes in a Ligue 1 match. Icon Sport/IMAGO
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