The top 12 chance creators in the Premier League since records began: Salah, De Bruyne…
Stars from Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are among the top 12 chance creators in the Premier League over the last 10 years.
Having a top playmaker in your ranks can make all the difference in a title race and plenty of the stars on this list have won their fair share of silverware over the years.
Since 2015-16, these have been the 12 Premier League players who have created the most chances for their fellow teammates.
12. Raheem Sterling – 397 key passes
Narrowly edging out the likes of Eden Hazard, David Silva, Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka for chances created since 2015-16, Sterling just about secures a place in the top 10.
While his creative numbers have dropped off since leaving Man City in 2022, the 30-year-old can still be a useful asset when playing to his strengths.
11. Andy Robertson – 408 key passes
Since arriving at Liverpool in 2017, few defenders can hold a candle to Robertson’s elite playmaking numbers.
Whether he’s whipping in a corner or cutting the ball back from the byline, the Scotsman’s delivery is usually on the money. Of his 408 chances created, 59 of them have been converted into assists.
10. Mesut Ozil – 412 key passes
During the 2015-16 campaign alone, Ozil created a whopping 146 chances for his teammates – averaging a key pass every 20.8 minutes.
While the German playmaker perhaps didn’t have the longevity in the Premier League of some of the other players on this list, he’s undoubtedly one of the best playmakers we’ve ever seen in England.
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9. James Maddison – 439 key passes
After making a name for himself in the Premier League with Leicester City, Maddison has continued to go from strength to strength in a Spurs shirt.
The England international has 45 top-flight assists to his name with 13 of those assists coming for Tottenham.
8. Son Heung-Min – 458 key passes
The South Korean international is one of the sharpest shooters in the Premier League and he’s also an excellent chance-creator.
He formed a formidable partnership with Harry Kane during his peak years at Tottenham and is still going strong for the club today.
Of the 458 chances that he created for his teammates, 68 of them have been converted into assists.
7. Mohamed Salah – 469 key passes
While the Egyptian king is predominately known for his goalscoring exploits, he’s also one of the best chance creators in the Premier League right now.
Along with scoring 170 Premier League goals, Salah has also produced an impressive 78 assists – averaging a whopping 0.89 goal contributions per game in the top flight.
With that sort of output, Liverpool fans will be desperate for the 32-year-old to extend his contract at Anfield.
6. Bruno Fernandes – 481 key passes
Say what you like about the Portuguese midfielder, he creates chances with ease. While Fernandes might not be everyone’s cup of tea, he sure is effective in the final third.
Whether he plays as an advanced number 10 or in a deeper role, the 30-year-old often finds a way to influence a game.
Unsurprisingly, he’s been United’s top chance creator since he signed for the club back in 2020.
5. Trent Alexander-Arnold – 489 key passes
Since making his debut for Liverpool, no defender has created more chances in the Premier League than Alexander-Arnold.
The 26-year-old regularly gets into double figures for assists and is undoubtedly one of the best crossers we have ever seen in the English top flight.
4. James Ward-Prowse – 491 key passes
Thanks to his elite set-piece delivery, Ward-Prowse secures a place in the top four of this list with 491 chances created since the start of 2015-16.
Over the last nine full Premier League seasons, the 30-year-old averages 54 chances created per season which is some going.
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3. Pascal Gross – 508 key passes
Perhaps a surprise entry this high on the list considering some of the names he ranks above, the former Brighton star was a chance-creation machine during his prime years.
The German midfielder had his best creative season in 2023-24 as he created 103 chances and averaged a key pass every 30 minutes.
2. Christian Eriksen – 527 key passes
During his prime years at Tottenham in particular, Eriksen was in a class of his own when it came to chance creation.
While he’s no longer at the very peak of his powers, the 32-year-old still has the quality to make an impact for Man United every now and again. During 2024-25, he’s averaged a key pass every 36 minutes.
1. Kevin De Bruyne – 810 key passes
Who else? The Belgian playmaker has been by far the best chance-creator in the Premier League since he arrived at the Etihad in 2015.
Impressively, the 33-year-old is one of five players who has racked up more than 100 assists in Premier League history alongside Ryan Giggs, Cesc Fabregas, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard.
Even today in 2024-25, he’s still creating chances at an obscene rate, averaging a key pass every 25 minutes in the league.
If he does decide to leave City in the summer, his record of 810 chances created over the last 10 years will take some catching.