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The Premier League is the most globally followed league in the world, with fans trooping in from all corners of the globe to follow their favorite clubs.
Since its rebranding in 1992, the Premier League has been home to some of the greatest players in history who have all contributed their quotas to making the league a global spectacle.
Goals are the essence of the game and the currency through which matches are won or lost and titles decided. But the intricate team play that comes before a goal is scored is equally as important.
Assists used to take a backseat in years gone by, with goalscorers getting all the adulation and glory, however, that has changed in the last few years. Players with an uncanny knack for creating goals are almost as revered as their teammates who specialize in finding the back of the net.
Proof of this lies in the newly-created Playmaker award, which honors the player who provides the most assists in a Premier League season.
With the dawn of a new Premier League campaign upon us, we shall be taking a look at the players with the most cumulative assists in the last decade (from 2011-12 to 2020-21).
N/B: In cases where two or more players have the same number of assists, the player with fewer appearances is ranked higher.
Honorable mention: Juan Mata (Chelsea / Manchester United) - 54 assists
#5 Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - 54 assists
Eden Hazard was a breath of fresh air when he arrived at Chelsea from Lille and adapted almost instantly to the Premier League.
The Belgium international arrived in the summer after Chelsea's maiden UEFA Champions League triumph in 2012. In many ways, Hazard's arrival was symbolic, as that night in Munich was the undoubted crescendo of Chelsea's golden generation of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and John Terry.
He was earmarked as the torchbearer of the next generation and he discharged his duties effectively, terrorizing Premier League defenses at will and leading Chelsea to several trophies.
Despite facing legitimate criticism for his inconsistencies and low numbers in front of goal, it cannot be argued that Eden Hazard performed at world-class levels at Stamford Bridge.
He made 245 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, scoring 85 goals and providing 54 assists, while also guiding the club to two league crowns.
Hazard won the inaugural Playmaker award, having provided 15 assists in the 2018-19 season. He completed a dream record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 but things have hardly gone to plan for him in the Spanish capital.
#4 Mesut Ozil (Arsenal) - 54 assists
There were lots of controversies, accusations and counter-accusations when Mesut Ozil departed Arsenal in 2021 but that takes nothing away from what was an immense career in north London.
The World Cup winner made a name for himself at Real Madrid and more than a few eyebrows were raised when Arsenal announced his club-record signing in 2013.
Ozil became an instant fan favorite and helped the club end their seven-year trophy drought with an FA Cup win in his first season.
The former Germany international effortlessly controlled the tempo of games with his languirous pace. His rate of providing assists was also phenomenal and was the driving force behind Arsenal's ultimately futile title quest in 2016.
His performance dipped over the last two years of his Emirates career, leading to a total freeze from the first team.
Mesut Ozil made 184 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, scoring 33 goals and providing 54 assists before terminating his contract to join Fenerbache.
#3 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham) - 62 assists
Christian Eriksen joined Tottenham from Ajax in 2013 and quickly established himself as one of the premier attacking midfielders in the Premier League.
The Denmark international possessed the vision and technique needed to function as an elite playmaker and also posed a considerable threat from set-pieces.
His time in north London saw him make 226 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, scoring 51 goals and providing 62 assists, although the club failed to win any major trophy in his time there.
Eriksen departed Spurs to join Inter Milan in January 2020 but has struggled for consistency at the San Siro.
His future in the game is in serious doubt after he suffered a cardiac arrest at the 2020 European Championship.
#2 Kevin de Bruyne (Chelsea / Manchester City) - 78
assists
It says a lot about Kevin de Bruyne's abilities that he has made the fewest number of appearances on the list but has provided the second-highest number of assists.
The Belgium international initially had a forgettable two-year spell with Chelsea where he made just three Premier League appearances without an attacking return.
Jose Mourinho was seemingly not enamored with the former Genk man and sanctioned his sale to Wolfsburg.
Just one season with the Bundesliga side was enough to convince the Manchester City hierarchy of De Bruyne's ability and they sanctioned his return to the Premier League for a club-record fee in 2015.
What has followed since then has been nothing short of extraordinary. After a few seasons of unfairly being in the shadows of the likes of Eden Hazard and Mo Salah, Kevin de Bruyne is now widely regarded as the premier player in the Premier League.
The 30-year-old possesses the full repertoire needed to succeed as a footballer on the biggest stage and is inarguably one of the most complete players in the world.
He is adept at shooting from distance with both feet, while his passing range and precision is almost unmatched on the planet.
Kevin de Bruyne has so far made 180 Premier League appearances, scoring 42 goals and providing 78 assists. He is also a one-time winner of the Playmaker award - and became only the third player in history and the first midfielder - to win the PFA Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons.
#1 David Silva (Manchester City) - 86 assists
David Silva made a name for himself in his native Spain with Valencia but it was with Manchester City that he morphed into one of the best players in the world.
The World Cup winner joined the Etihad outfit at the start of the last decade which helped set in motion what has been one of the greatest eras in English footballing history.
Silva became an instant fan favorite and earned the nickname 'Merlin' for his magical displays on the field and in training.
The former Spain international was the fulcrum through which Manchester City's attacks were crafted. His vision and technique helped the club establish their dominance and Silva was integral to all the success enjoyed by City in his decade-long association with the Mancunians.
In total, he made 309 Premier League appearances for City before joining Real Sociedad in 2020. He scored 60 goals and provided 93 assists (86 of which came in the timeframe under consideration).
He also won 11 major trophies at the Etihad, including four Premier League titles and three consecutive League Cups.
Also See: Seven European clubs to win a treble
