JUST IN: Wayne Rooney names Liverpool star as Premier League Player of the Season.

Wayne Rooney has put aside his past rivalries to name a Liverpool star as his Premier League Player of the Season, though he stopped short of including any of Salah’s teammates in his top five.

With Liverpool all but confirmed as this season’s champions — the title could be sealed as early as tomorrow — attention is shifting toward individual accolades, where many expect Arne Slot’s squad to feature prominently given their dominant 13-point lead heading into the final month.

Rooney reveals his top five Premier League players
In an interview with Amazon Prime Video Sport, the former Everton and Manchester United striker ranked his top five performers of the 2024/25 campaign. Mo Salah took the top spot, with Rooney stating: “My number one pick would be Mo Salah. I think over the last few years his performances have been excellent and this season again it looks like he’s going to spearhead Liverpool to the title.”

Despite Salah’s inclusion, Rooney didn’t select any of the Egyptian’s Liverpool teammates, instead rounding out his list with Alexander Isak, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Bruno Fernandes in second through fifth place respectively.

No room for Van Dijk or other Liverpool standouts
Salah’s selection as the top player is hard to argue with — he’s leading the Golden Boot race and has been instrumental in Liverpool’s title charge, tallying 27 goals and 18 assists. He’s also on the brink of becoming just the second player in Premier League history (after Thierry Henry in 2002/03) to record 20+ goals and 20+ assists in a single season.

However, Rooney’s omission of other standout Liverpool players — including defensive rock Virgil van Dijk and midfield stars Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister — raises eyebrows. Palmer, for instance, hasn’t scored since mid-January, and while Fernandes has impressed recently, he captains a struggling Manchester United side hovering near the bottom half.

Whether Rooney’s snubs were deliberate or simply a reflection of personal preference, leaving out more of Liverpool’s title-winning squad feels like a questionable call — possibly influenced by old loyalties.