'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Football fans more often than not wax lyrical about the outstanding feats goalscorers achieve each game, with goal-getters like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Mohamed Salah getting all the plaudits.
However, for a football team to thrive, each section needs to function as cogs in a well-oiled machine.
The playmakers bridge the gap between forwards and the rest of the team, necessary pivots delivering incisive passes, as well as the all-important final balls which catch defences napping.
Last time out, Eden Hazard was ahead of the pack, notching an impressive 15 assists in his swansong for Chelsea. He was ahead of a very colorful cast of players, and they are sure to provide us with another compelling race to the top of the assist rankings.
In this article, we sift through the crowded pool of Premier League playmakers and do our best to list the possible top 5 contenders for the Premier League Playmaker of the Season.
Honorable Mentions
Ryan Fraser (AFC Bournemouth), Leroy Sane (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
#5 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Paul Pogba has been the subject of intense scrutiny this summer, as he continues to be linked with a move away from Old Trafford. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is determined to keep hold of his multi-million dollar man, and he has taken Pogba with the team on tour.
Paul Pogba has had a glittering career so far, with his impressive stint in Juventus' colors earning him a massive £89.3 million move back to Old Trafford - a world record at the time. He received the Golden Boy award in 2013 and has won a plethora of trophies, including, 4 Scudetto, the FIFA World Cup, the Europa League, etc.
Last time out, the Frenchman notched 9 assists, and the bulk of that came during the post-Mourinho high the team was on, as the team went on an impressive unbeaten streak during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's so-called honeymoon period in-charge.
The new Man Utd boss is looking to build his new-look team around Paul Pogba, and he has a preference for fast-paced attacking football.
If Ole manages to persuade the Frenchman to stay put, we could see Pogba thrive in the new system, notching boatloads of assists as he pings decisive passes to his pacey teammates.
#4 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Raheem Sterling joined Manchester City from Liverpool in 2015 for a whopping £44 million plus add ons, a record for an English player at that time. Since then he has continued to develop at an impressive rate, especially under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola.
He is a pacey dribbler with the ball, and he has a keen eye for goal as well as the final ball. Raheem Sterling has won a host of titles for the Cityzens, including, 2 consecutive Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup, and 3 League Cups.
Last time out he got 10 assists, thriving off his clinical teammates. Man City is one of the best attacking sides in world football, and Raheem Sterling is more than likely going to benefit from the rich attacking system once again as he distributes final balls to the ruthless hitmen at Pep Guardiola's disposal.
#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson (Liverpool FC)
This list just wouldn't be complete without a mention of this dynamic duo.
Andrew Roberston joined Liverpool amid little fanfare in 2017 for a reported fee of £8 million and has proven to be a shrewd bargain.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, is a product of the Liverpool youth system and made his senior team debut at the age of 18. The rest, as they say, is history.
They were simply outstanding last season, and in an impressive Liverpool team, these two men were one of the best things going for the side. The pair became the first defensive pairing to notch 10 or more assists in one Premier League season, with TAA finishing on 12 and Roberston finishing on 11 assists.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's haul is also a record for the number of assists by a defender in a single campaign. Quite impressive!
They will be reprising their roles for the Reds next season, and are sure to be assisting Jurgen Klopp's men in their bid for a maiden Premier League crown.
#2 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Mauricio Pochettino's wantaway maestro could be staying put at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after all. He has been the subject of transfer scrutiny after he stated that he is "ready to try something new". However, no bids have come in yet, and Tottenham reportedly have a bumper contract offer on the table for him.
The former Ajax man joined Spurs in 2013 for a reported fee of £11.5million. Although he is yet to win a major trophy for Spurs or Denmark, Christian Eriksen has an abundance of individual plaudits. He is a 5-time Danish footballer of the year and a two time Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year.
Last season he finished in third place on 12 assists, three behind eventual winner, Eden Hazard, and two behind AFC Bournemouth's Ryan Fraser who finished second on 14 assists.
Mauricio Pochettino's side will be in the hunt for a maiden Premier League title next season, and with the likes of the clinical Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Heung-Min Son, etc, around him, the Dane is likely to be among the front runners once again.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne is another one of Chelsea's famous outcasts who has gone on to have a magnificent career.
He joined Chelsea in 2012 but was underutilized. He was then shipped to the German Bundesliga and went on to be named Footballer of the Year in Germany for 2015.
KDB was bought by Man City for a club record of £54 million in 2015. He has gone on to be named Manchester City Player of the Year on two occasions. The Belgian has won a host of trophies for the Manchester club, including 2 consecutive Premier League titles and 1 FA Cup.
He bagged the Playmaker award in 2018 with 16 assists, however, last time out his season was blighted with injuries. He only managed to play in 19 games, notching 2 assists.
Kevin De Bruyne is regarded as a complete footballer, with his advanced technical ability garnering praise from fans and pundits. When fighting fit, he is a frightening prospect to play against.
KDB will enter the new campaign fresh and battle-hungry, and he is sure to dish out more than a few clinical final balls to Pep Guardiola's ensemble cast of potent forwards.
