Top 10 attacking midfielders in Premier League right now

The attacking-mid role is one that has been constantly evolving, especially over the last decade or more. Today it has become one of the most important and versatile roles in modern football. They are responsible for creating chances, scoring goals, and linking up play with their excellent vision, passing range, dribbling, shooting, and flair to excel in this role.

In this article, we will rank the top 10 attacking midfielders in the English Premier League right now, based on their performance in the 2022/23 season.

We will consider metrics like their goals, assists, expected goals (xG), expected assists (xA), shots, key passes, passes completed, dribbles completed, tackles won, and minutes played, as well as taking into account their impact on their team’s performance and their overall quality as players.

Without further ado, let’s dive into it. 

10. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

Having joined as a promising youngster from fellow London club Queens Park Rangers in 2020, the 25-year-old English attacking midfielder, Eberechi Eze has gone on to cement his place as one of Crystal Palace’s talismans. 

A skillful and creative player who can operate on either flank or behind the striker as #10, his eye for goal and ability to set up his teammates with his passing and crossing also makes him a threat from set-pieces and long-range shots.

In the 2022/23 season, Eze scored 10 goals and provided 4 assists from 40 appearances across all competitions. However, what’s more interesting is the fact that since Roy Hodgson took over, the 25-year-old has scored six goals and provided two assists in 10 games towards the back end of the season. 

9. Lucas Paquetá (West Ham United)

The 26-year-old Brazilian international, Lucas Paqueta, had been on the radar of many top clubs before the attacking midfielder signed for West Ham United in August 2022 for a fee of around £40 million. 

The Brazilian is a versatile and dynamic midfielder who can play in various positions across the midfield and attack. He is comfortable on both feet and has a good range of passing, dribbling, and shooting abilities. A tenacious player who contributes to both ends of the pitch, Paqueta started to develop good chemistry with former club captain Declan Rice towards the back end of last season.

Despite his potential, Paqueta had an underwhelming season with the Hammers scoring just four and providing two assists, however, he was also one of the vital cogs in the Hammer’s successful run during their UEFA Conference League-winning run, catching the eye of the likes of Manchester City who are looking for an able replacement for İlkay Gündoğan. 

8. Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)

Dominik Szoboszlai is a 22-year-old Hungarian attacking midfielder who joined the Merseyside club Liverpool FC from RB Leipzig for a fee of around £60 million.

A gifted and explosive player who can play on either wing or more centrally as an attacking midfielder, the 22-year-old has a powerful and accurate left foot and can create goals with his impeccable vision. He is also a fast and agile player who can beat defenders with his dribbling and movement. The Hungarian also has the defensive work rate to complement his attacking attributes, making him a perfect addition to Jürgen Klopp’s squad. 

Szoboszlai was among the standout performers for RB Leipzig in the first half of last season as they challenged for the Bundesliga title and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League. Although their challenge eventually fizzled out, the Red Merseyside would be hoping the 22-year-old can hit the ground running and bring back Liverpool into the title challenge conversation. 

7. Mason Mount (Manchester United)

The 24-year-old English attacking midfielder, Mason Mount, takes the seventh spot. For someone who came through the academy at Chelsea and made his senior debut in 2019, Mount became a vital player in the Chelsea squad under both Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel over the following years. 

Moreover, Chelsea’s poor performances last season also added to his own below-par showing on the individual front as well. Now a Manchester United player, Mount’s creativity, intelligence, and versatility to play across the midfield and attacking third will make him one of the key generals in Erik Ten Hag’s team. 

6. James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur)

James Maddison’s game has grown significantly over the last couple of seasons, from being a set-piece specialist to creating chances from open-play scenarios. Despite the Foxes going down last season, James Maddison was without a doubt their best player throughout the season. 

The 25-year-old is a skillful and innovative player who often plays behind the #9 but doesn’t shy away from exploring the wide spaces and exploiting the half-spaces. In 32 appearances across all competitions last season, the England international scored 10 goals and provided 9 assists, his best returns after the 2021-22 season, where he played a pivotal role in helping Leicester City win the FA Cup.

Now that he’s signed for Tottenham Hotspur, the expectation is for him to take his game up a level, and in the post-Harry Kane era, he is the first of his kind to be signed by the club since the days of Christian Eriksen. 

5. Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea)

The French international Christopher Nkunku joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £52 million and looked at ease under Mauricio Pochettino during pre-season before an injury pushed back his much-anticipated debut for the Blues. 

Nkunku scored 23 goals and provided 6 assists in just 36 appearances across all competitions last season, often playing as a second striker, a winger, or an attacking midfielder, as per the game’s requirement.

Someone who brings an abundance of technical ability but also has that poacher’s instinct, the 24-year-old has been brought in to be the lynchpin of the Chelsea attack for years to come, often playing on the shoulders of the defenders as a hybrid #10 or a shadow striker.  

4. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

The Portuguese playmaker has been one of the most consistent performers for Manchester City since he joined them from Monaco in 2017. The 29-year-old has been one of the vital cogs in City’s domestic and European success, winning five Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, two FA Cups, and one Champions League trophy. 

During the 2022/23 PL season, Silva scored seven goals and assisted six more in 55 games across all competitions , playing mostly as a right winger or an attacking midfielder alongside Kevin De Bruyne. However, with the Belgian international coming off injured in their first game of the season against Burnley, Silva’s technically gifted play, intelligence, and vision will come as a much-needed commodity for Pep.

3. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

The Portuguese playmaker has been a revelation for Manchester United since he joined them from Sporting CP back in January 2020. The 28-year-old has been one of United’s most consistent performers, transforming the club’s fortunes and leading them to three top-four finishes in the Premier League and two cup finals. 

However, he had an average 2022/23 season by his own standards. The Portugal international scored 14 goals and assisted another 13 as Erik Ten Hag’s men finished 3rd in the league, and won the EFL Cup against Newcastle United in the final.

Besides, with Ten Hag gradually adding quality all around him, there should be less dependence on him, resulting in a more relaxed and dangerous Bruno Fernandes this season. 

2. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal)

The Norwegian wonderkid is finally delivering on all the potential that saw Real Madrid sign then-16-year-old Martin Ødegaard in 2014. Arsenal bought their club captain from Real Madrid on a permanent deal in August 2021 for what now seems as a bargain fee of €30 million, after impressing on loan in the second half of the previous season. 

Odegaard has been a key player for the Gunners, helping them qualify for the Champions League last year after six years, as well as winning the FA Cup in his first full season. During the 2022/23 season, Ødegaard scored 15 goals and assisted seven more in 45 appearances across all competitions, playing as an attacking midfielder or a central midfielder.

Besides, with Mikel Arteta adding more depth and fire-power to his attacking ranks, meaning Ødegaard’s skillfulness, vision, intelligence, and composure will make him a nightmare to play against. 

1. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

The Belgian superstar is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. The 32-year-old attacking midfielder has been instrumental in Manchester City’s dominance over recent years. De Bruyne has won five Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, two FA Cups, and one Champions League trophy with City since he joined them from Wolfsburg in 2015, cementing his place as one of City’s and the Premier’s greatest-ever midfielders. 

Despite a sluggish start to the campaign De Bruyne scored 10 goals and provided 26 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, playing as an attacking midfielder or as a central midfielder at times. The Belgian national team captain is as complete a player as you’d get.

However, the 32-year-old had to come off against Burnley in the opening game of the season after what looked like a recurrence of the knee injury he had last season. 

Also Watch – Top 20 defensive midfielders in world football right now.

Top 10 attacking midfielders in Premier League right now: The List