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The Premier League has been home to some of the greatest playmakers in the history of the game. While the limelight often lands on strikers, it's the playmakers who are the most revered in footballing circles.
The trequartistas, false nines or registas who know how to exploit space and use it to their advantage are the real difference makers.
Playmaking as a skill is evolving as far as the Premier League is concerned
But to say that playmaking is limited to just the midfielders is quite reductive. In the 2020-21 season, the Premier League Playmaker Award went to Harry Kane, who had notched up 12 assists. But then again, strikers do end up registering quite a few assists as they operate around the goalmouth.
In recent times, we have seen how Luke Shaw, for example, has become one of the main creative forces for Manchester United. So here we're widening the ambit to include all kinds of playmakers in the Premier League.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five best playmakers in the Premier League right now.
#5 Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Chelsea have a great youth academy but they have seemed quite disinterested in reaping the benefits of the hard work that's done there. Mason Mount is an exception and he has proved his worth and become a midfield lynchpin for the Blues.
The youngster is an aggressive midfielder who is also technically proficient. He keeps things ticking for Chelsea in and around the final third and with him on the pitch, Tuchel's side don't seem to run out of ideas.
He was a standout performer for Chelsea as they won the UEFA Champions League last term. Mount was also picked as Chelsea's 2020-21 Men’s Player of the Year. He scored nine goals and provided nine assists in 54 appearances across all competitions last term.
He finished the season as the player who created the second-most number of chances in the Premier League with 87 to his name.
#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
The role of the modern full-back is evolving and Trent Alexander-Arnold is a very good example of a player who can conduct play from deep. Already a Champions League and Premier League winner, it's hard to find a player with the vision and passing range of Alexander-Arnold.
The Liverpool right-back created more big chances (14) and provided more assists (7) than any other u-23 player in the 2020/21 Premier League season. He has also played the most number of balls into the box than any other player in any of Europe's top 5 leagues in the 2020-21 season.
That goes to show just how influential Alexander-Arnold is. The 22-year-old's crosses from the right flank are David Beckham-esque. He plays quite a lot of early crosses and pings lovely long balls for the pacy Liverpool attackers to chase down.
In 36 appearances in the 2020-21 Premier League season, Alexander-Arnold scored two goals and provided seven assists.
#3 Jack Grealish (Manchester City)
Manchester City signed Jack Grealish from Aston Villa on a deal worth around £100 million this summer transfer window. Grealish has been phenomenal for Dean Smith's side ever since breaking onto the first team in 2014 and will be hard to replace at Villa.
In the 2020-21 season, Grealish created 81 chances in 26 Premier League appearances. He is a brave and aggressive attacking midfielder who is great at taking defenders on and beating them. Grealish also draws plenty of fouls and is an intelligent player who has a great eye for a pass.
He scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 26 Premier League appearances last term. Despite playing just 26 games, he finished second in the table for most shot-creating actions in the 2020-21 Premier League season with 134. He ranked third for most key passes as well this past season with 81.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has arguably been the most important player for Pep Guardiola over the past six years. The Belgian international is one of the most technically astute and tactically intelligent players of his generation.
De Bruyne does everything expected of an attacking midfielder with aplomb. He can glide past defenders and create space and opportunities for his teammates. The 30-year-old also packs a mean shot in either foot, but his passing range is perhaps the most astounding part of his game.
It's hard to find a player who can spray throughballs to his forwards as accurately as KDB can. The PFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season, De Bruyne is as dangerous as they come.
In 25 appearances in the 2020-21 Premier League season, De Bruyne scored six goals and provided 12 assists.
#1 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Bruno Fernandes' arrival truly helped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer raise the standard of his entire squad. To say that the Portuguese international has had a galvanizing effect on the side would be an understatement. Fernandes has been phenomenal for the Red Devils and continues to be so.
In the 2020-21 season, Fernandes topped the Premier League charts for most key passes (95) and most shot-creating actions (138). He was also the leading goalscorer and assist provider in the Manchester United squad. In 37 Premier League appearances, Fernandes scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists.
He also created the most number of chances among all Premier League players in the 2020-21 season with 107.
Arguably the best goalscoring midfielder in the world right now, Bruno Fernandes has got off to a flying start to the 2021-22 Premier League season. He bagged a hat-trick for Manchester United in their season opener against bitter rivals Leeds United.
