Top 10 Best Playmakers in the Premier League Right Now (2025)

The Premier League has long had a strange obsession with strikers—the players who make headlines because they are the last to touch the ball before it enters the net. But come on, football isn’t simply about who scores anymore. It’s about the build-up, the drama, and the chess movements that lead up to the knockout punch. The actual magic? That is conjured up by the playmakers—the puppeteers, rebels, and those who create the script before the goal is even achieved.

And, honestly, the concept of playmaking has been turned on its head.

Remember when the classic No.10 would simply hang out behind the striker, twiddling his thumbs, looking for an opportunity to drop a lethal pass? Yeah, those days are over. You now have a wide range of people running the show. Guys like Declan Rice and Adam Wharton are not even in the final third.

They’re deep, pulling strings, and turning the game on its head with a single pass out of nowhere. Then you have chaos agents like Jérémy Doku, who doesn’t even seek for a pass and instead ruins defensive preparations with his maze runs. Bukayo Saka and João Pedro have taken on traditional winger roles, cutting inside and slipping passes like clandestine No.10s. And, of course, the traditional risk-takers, such as Bruno Fernandes, are all about gambling, living for that one killer ball that may not come off nine times out of ten, but when it does? Boom.

Oh, and don’t assume this list is only about assist stats. It’s all about control. It’s about the players that grab a contest by the scruff of the neck and can propel their team forward even when things are going wrong. The actual architects, not merely those with numbers next to their names.

10. David Brooks, Bournemouth

Look, Bournemouth isn’t exactly a highlight reel favourite, but Brooks? He’s got vision for days. He isn’t just inserting himself into their attack; he is the attack most weeks.

He’s threading passes where most players wouldn’t notice a space. Sure, it’s a smaller club, but that only amplifies his influence—he’s the guy everyone goes to when something needs to happen.

9. Bruno Fernandes— Manchester United.

Despite Manchester United’s inconsistency, Bruno Fernandes remains one of the league’s most prolific creators. He makes more risky passes than any other midfielder in England, and while not all of them succeed, he is the type of player who drives breakthroughs rather than waiting for them.

8. Mohamed Salah — Liverpool.

Salah is most recognised as a goal scorer, but during the last two seasons, he has developed into a dual creator-finisher. His partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold has transformed Liverpool’s right flank into a source of opportunities.

Even when he isn’t scoring, he’s attracting defenders, freeing overlapping runners, or allowing teammates past. He is Liverpool’s most constant source of goal involvement—not just goals.

7. Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa

Morgan Rogers is one of the Premier League’s most understated innovators. Instead of threading lethal passes, he manipulates defenders through movement. He receives between the lines, moves ahead, and causes shape alterations that provide room for others. Under Unai Emery, he functions as a hybrid No.8/10.

6. Adam Wharton – Crystal Palace

Wharton is what, twenty-one? Plays with the calm of someone who has been around since the Stone Age. He’s constantly there for the ball, never panics, and actively seeks hazardous passes. He’s beginning Palace’s moves from deep, and you can already see he’ll be one of the midfielders everyone talks about in a few years. Not your typical “young talent” narrative.

5. Granit Xhaka – Sunderland

Yeah, it’s strange seeing Xhaka in a Sunderland shirt, but honestly, this is where he gets to be the star. He was an integral part of Arsenal’s machine.

Here, he is the machine. Diagonals, disguised passes, yelling orders—the entire midfield relies on his energy. Proof that you do not need a Champions League squad to dominate a game.

4. Jérémy Doku, Manchester City

Doku is a different breed. Most inventors pass; Doku only breaks ankles. He’ll charge at a wall of defenders, knock three people out of position, and City will suddenly have a gap to exploit. Even if he does not receive assistance, he is the chaos agent who orchestrates everything.

3. Bukayo Saka – Arsenal

Saka is simply relentless. Give him the ball, and even with two defenders on his back, he’ll make something happen. Crosses, cutbacks, and little slipped passes—he’s the one Arsenal turns to when they need magic. Defenders anticipate what will happen, but how will they stop him? Different problem.

2. Mohammed Kudus, Tottenham Hotspur

Kudus at Spurs is all vibes. He’s unpredictable, brilliant, and exudes confidence that he’s the solution to their creative shortage after Eriksen. He will dribble past you, combine with the midfield, or simply make a killing ball.

1. Jack Grealish, Everton (on loan from Manchester City).

Grealish at Everton is a totally different animal. In City, he had to share the spotlight. Now, everything passes through him. He’s slowing and speeding up the game, demanding the ball every time Everton crosses the halfway line.