There are few more impressive roles in football than that of a creative wizard, a player with the intelligence and technical ability to play passes that break through the opposition defences.
Taking a look through the number of chances created is usually illustrative of the best playmakers around, and this season is no different with star names from Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Arsenal featuring near the top.
Here are the top 10 players across Europe’s top five leagues (the Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, La Liga and Serie A) for key passes – the final pass before a team-mate takes a shot at goal. We’re counting them in order of their total key passes.
10. Andreas Pereira – 82
Fulham have been a strange and inconsistent beast this season, capable of going to toe-to-toe with the Premier League’s best sides but just as liable to underwhelm against a relegation-battler.
But in Pereira they possess a player that’s quietly been consistent and impressive this season. The Brazilian struggled to make it beyond the fringes at Manchester United but he’s shown his creative quality at Craven Cottage and appears settled. Marco Silva is getting the best out of him.
9. Bukayo Saka – 83
Hale End’s finest is enjoying the most prolific season of his career to date and his underlying numbers are just as impressive.
Saka has been at the heart of Arsenal’s best performances this season and has a brilliant understanding with Martin Odegaard.
8. Franck Honorat – 85
Borussia Monchengladbach’s French winger is catching the eye in the Bundesliga.
He’s notched three goals and nine assists for a side that have otherwise struggled, sitting underwhelmingly in the German top flight’s lower reaches.
7. Romain Del Castillo – 87
Brest have been something of a surprise package in Ligue 1 this season. They currently sit third in the table and look genuinely capable of beating the likes of Marseille and Lille to Champions League qualification.
A huge part of their strong season has been the form of right winger Del Castillo, who has eight goals, eight assists and 87 key passes from 31 appearances in the French top flight this season.
6. Ilkay Gundogan – 90
Gundogan probably didn’t envisage himself sitting 11 points off Real Madrid come May – staring down a trophyless season – when he left treble-winners Manchester City for La Liga champions Barcelona last summer.
But experienced Germany international has quietly been an underrated creative spark for Xavi’s side. He’ll be an important player if they’re to get back to competing with Los Blancos next season.
5. Teji Savanier – 91
A relatively lesser-known name from Ligue 1, 31-year-old Savanier is currently enjoying the form of his life for hometown club Montpellier.
Montpellier have a poor record and just nine wins so far but Savanier has been their brightest spark. He’s found himself regularly scoring and assisting, while his total tally of key passes is only bettered by four players in all of Europe’s five major leagues.
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4. Pascal Gross – 92
Signed by Brighton for a £3million fee following their promotion in 2017, Gross has consistently been among the Seagulls’ performers throughout their time in the Premier League.
Ageing like a fine wine, Gross just seems to get better and better. He received his first Germany cap at the age of 32 earlier this season and looks a solid bet for their Euro 2024 squad after establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most creative players.
3. Martin Odegaard – 93
Arsenal – and by extension their playmaker captain – were often criticised in the first half of the season for not looking at their free-flowing best.
That’s all changed in recent months, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners absolutely rampant since the turn of the year. They’ve put a number of sides to the sword. Once again Odegaard has been making them click – as evidenced by him shooting up the key passes rankings.
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2. Bruno Fernandes – 108
It would be an understatement to say that Manchester United’s form has been up and down so far this season, but Fernandes’ creative class remains a constant.
The Portuguese playmaker has often been at the heart of everything good that the Red Devils have managed going forward in 2023-24 so far.
He’s played almost every minute of the club’s campaign so far and is one of only two players in Europe’s five major leagues to notch over a hundred key passes. Fernandes underlined his creative ability with a hat-trick of assists for Portugal in a 9-1 mauling over Luxembourg back in October.
1. Kevin Stoger – 108
The Austrian midfielder is having himself a hell of a season for minnows Bochum, who sit just above the Bundesliga’s relegation zone.
Back in February, he caught the eye with an excellent display in Bochum’s surprise 3-2 victory over Bayern, notching a goal and an assist to take his overall tally to five and six for the season.
