10. David Silva (Manchester City)
David Silva arrived at Manchester City in 2010 as a gifted attacking midfielder with plenty of promise and left a decade later as a club legend. He had not just racked up dozens of goals and assists and won four Premier League titles, he had endeared himself to the fans for his aptitude off the ball as well as his technical brilliance on it.
After Silva announced his retirement last year, Guardiola said: "David’s impact was not just at Manchester City, which was unbelievable, but at every team he played for - like Valencia, Eibar and the national team. He is the best I have seen playing in the pockets. He was one of the players who allowed for the success of this team."
9. Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
Just from his performances in the 2013/14 season alone, Yaya Toure would warrant a place on this list. The Ivorian scored an incredible 20 goals from midfield as City lifted the Premier League trophy, proving almost unstoppable.
Toure arrived at City from Barcelona in 2010 having played for most of his career as a holding midfielder. But he was transformed in Manchester, becoming a powerful, direct attacking midfielder who could score all kinds of goals. And that’s what he did, netting 59 in total over eight Premier League seasons.
8. Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal, Chelsea)
Cesc Fabregas was among the most accomplished teenagers the Premier League had ever seen when he joined Arsenal from Barcelona at the age of 16. He only got better as the years went by, playing beautiful pass after beautiful pass even as the Gunners struggled after their move to the Emirates Stadium.
A move to Chelsea in 2014 - after three years back at Barcelona - further established Fabregas’s legacy as a Premier League great. He went on to win two league titles and sits third in the all-time Premier League assists chart with 111.
7. Rodri (Manchester City)
Some might suggest Rodri has not yet done enough to warrant a place so high on this list, but it is difficult to ignore his influence at City. Since his arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Guardiola’s side have gone on to win four of five league titles. That is no coincidence.
The Spaniard has taken the No.6 role to another level in recent years, playing the right pass at the right time with unerring consistency and reading the game superbly out of possession. He often chips in with a goal, too, and is capable of a long-range screamer. By the time he leaves City, Rodri will most certainly be considered one of the best to grace the Premier League.
6. Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest, Manchester United)
Though he did not have Rodri’s elegance, Roy Keane was no less influential during his 13 years at Manchester United. Abrasive, aggressive and determined, the Irishman left everything on the pitch.
But he was an excellent footballer, not just a warrior and a leader. Over 350 Premier League appearances and seven league titles simply cannot be argued with.
5. Patrick Vieira (Arsenal, Manchester City)
Roy Keane’s great rival Patrick Vieira was another world-class midfielder in one of the Premier League’s most memorable eras. His gracefulness on the ball and ability to dominate his opponents made him a key player for Arsene Wenger’s best ever Arsenal team, the Invincibles of 2003/04.
The Frenchman, despite his considerable height, glided around the pitch and played with a languid composure and unshakable confidence. His presence alone made him a Premier League legend.
4. Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Nobody could pick a pass quite like Paul Scholes. Unassuming and perhaps even slightly underappreciated, the Salford native was among the best technicians of the modern era, comparable to the likes of Xavi or Andrea Pirlo.
He spent almost 20 years in United’s first team, finishing one short of 500 Premier League appearances and winning 11 league titles.
3. Frank Lampard (West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester City)
The list of the Premier League’s all-time top scorers has one noticeable anomaly: Frank Lampard, a midfielder, sits in sixth place on 177 goals, surrounded by forwards. He is also fifth in the all-time assists chart with 102.
That is an astonishing number of goal contributions, and would be even for a striker. But Lampard, who won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, was very much a once-in-a-generation midfielder, whose goal return is unlikely to be matched by anyone playing in his position for a long time.
2. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Steven Gerrard also had an eye for goal, scoring 120 in the Premier League during his 17 years at boyhood club Liverpool. His ability to do everything, though, was what set him apart. He could tackle, play a pinpoint diagonal pass, charge down the wing, fire off a ferocious long shot.
There was almost nothing Gerrard could not do, and his all-action style inevitably made him a legend at Liverpool. He didn’t win a Premier League title, but if anything his career is more impressive given the limitations of the teams he played in.
1. Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea, Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne gets the nod as the greatest Premier League midfielder ever. Recency bias? Perhaps. But the Belgium international has been the main man in a City team that has broken all kinds of records, and he could yet win a fifth title in a row this season.
Only Ryan Giggs has more assists in the Premier League (162) than De Bruyne (112). He has also scored 68 goals and is, technically, on another plane of existence. And there may yet be more to come from the brilliant Belgian.
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