Who'd you say tops the best Premier League midfielders ever?
It's a tough call. The Premier League has had its fair share of world-class midfielders over the course of its 32-year history.
Some have been goal-scorers, others have been playmakers and a few have been ball-winners, but all have left an indelible mark on England’s top flight.
Our FourFourTwo experts have looked at the best goalkeepers in the history of the Premier League, the best defenders, of course, the best midfielders, the best wingers and the best strikers. We analysed impact and legacy, naturally – but we also looked at technically how well they performed their specific role.
And this is what we came up with. Here are the top 20 midfielders ever to play in the Premier League.
VIDEO Why Matthijs De Ligt Is A Game Changer For Ten Hag's Man United
The 20 best Premier League midfielders ever: 20. Jordan Henderson (Sunderland, Liverpool)
He may have declined by the end of his Liverpool career but there is no question that Jordan Henderson was the driving force behind the most successful years of Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield tenure.
The Sunderland native took a while to get going at Liverpool but by the end he had established himself as one of the greats, a midfielder with boundless energy and underappreciated technical qualities.
19. Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, West Brom)
For longevity alone, Gareth Barry is a Premier League legend. The former Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder currently holds the record for the division’s most appearances with 653 (though that record could be broken by Brighton’s James Milner this season).
He wasn’t a bad player either. Though he didn’t get the adulation of some of the Premier League’s more glamorous midfielders, Barry was remarkably consistent and dependable. He won his only Premier League title with Manchester City in 2011-12, the year of Sergio Aguero’s memorable late winner against QPR on the final day.
18. Luka Modric (Tottenham)
Luka Modric went on to greatness at Real Madrid, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that he had three years of excellence in the Premier League with Tottenham.
Had he stayed for longer and perhaps lifted a title or two, he would almost certainly have been higher on this list. But the brevity of his spell in England meant Premier League fans only saw a glimpse of his brilliance.
17. Xabi Alonso (Liverpool)
While Steven Gerrard was the main man at Liverpool, Xabi Alonso played a key role in midfield for five seasons before departing for Real Madrid. Few playmakers in the division’s history have been as aesthetically pleasing as the Spaniard, who also scored some spectacular goals during his time on Merseyside.
Alonso went on to be a key man at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and he may yet return to Liverpool one day in a managerial capacity, if his career trajectory continues in the same direction.
16. Michael Carrick (Tottenham, Manchester United)
Another reliable, unassuming and sometimes unheralded Premier League midfielder, Michael Carrick was excellent for years as the cog in a relentless Manchester United machine. Few No.6s were as reliable in possession.
Former team-mate Paul Scholes said of Carrick: "When Michael played, United usually won, and I like that there was nothing flashy about him. He never broke a sweat, either! He was like a Rolls Royce, just cruising around the football pitch."
He won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League title during his 12 years at Old Trafford.
15. Fernandinho (Manchester City)
A rock in midfield for nine years, Fernandinho was an integral figure as Manchester City transitioned into a new era under Pep Guardiola. The Brazilian was aggressive and tenacious in midfield, acting as a destroyer off the ball and facilitating the team’s more attack-minded players.
His selflessness and leadership did not go unnoticed by the City faithful, and Fernandinho was very much a fan favourite by the time he left in 2022.
14. Michael Essien (Chelsea)
Few midfielders have made such a big impact upon their arrival in their Premier League. Michael Essien, after joining Chelsea from Lyon in 2005, immediately looked at home, helping Jose Mourinho’s side to the title in his first season.
A superb ball-winner and effective at both ends of the pitch, Essien was electric in his first few years at Stamford Bridge. Injuries hampered him in later seasons, but at his best the Ghana international was irrepressible.
13. Paul Ince (Manchester United, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolves)
Paul Ince starred at several Premier League clubs but it was at Manchester United as a young midfielder where he truly made his mark. His tireless industry and eye for a pass made him an invaluable figure in Sir Alex Ferguson’s team.
Ince won two Premier League titles at United, in 1992/93 and 1993/94, before leaving for spells with Inter, Liverpool, Middlesbrough and Wolves.
12. Claude Makelele (Chelsea)
Claude Makelele arrived at Chelsea relatively late in his career, making the switch from Real Madrid in 2003 at the age of 30. By then, he was an established France international and a Champions League winner.
But his impact upon his arrival in England was huge. Makelele was unlike any other holding midfielder the league had seen, covering incredible distances and winning the ball back for his team with apparent ease. His unmatched ability to protect the back four contributed to the excellent defensive record of Mourinho’s back-to-back title-winning teams.
11. N’Golo Kante (Leicester, Chelsea)
Another Frenchman who made a significant mark on the Premier League, N’Golo Kante was a phenomenon at Leicester in his sole season with the club, helping them to their stunning Premier League title in 2015/16.
Seven years at Chelsea followed, where Kante’s unique ability to cover seemingly every blade of grass and nick the ball off his opposition put him firmly among the best to ever do it in the division.
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.
More Premier League stories
How does Cole Palmer's remarkable nine-year contract compare to football's longest-ever deals?
