Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney oddly overlooked the division’s rampant leading scorer Erling Haaland when naming the three best players of the Premier League season so far.
Rooney instead went for Bournemouth talisman Antoine Semenyo, United’s Bryan Mbeumo and, in another odd decision, Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyökeres.
The player-turned-pundit has leaned into a new role of arch-antagonist this season. Unrequested advice for managers and players alike, seemingly spontaneous transfer strategies and even wild conspiracy theories have all been part of Rooney’s rhetoric this year.
Now the ex-England captain has turned his attention to ranking the Premier League’s standout performers. Few could realistically disagree with his first pick of Semenyo. “I think he’s been great for Bournemouth, carrying on his form from last season,” Rooney told .
The two-way winger has either scored or assisted more than half of all the Premier League goals Bournemouth have racked up this season. Boasting a release clause worth a modest £65 million ($85.4 million), there is expected to be a fierce bidding war for Semenyo this January.






