Premier League: Top 5 contenders for the Playmaker of the Season award
Football fans more often than not wax lyrical about the outstanding feats goalscorers achieve each game, with goal-getters like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Mohamed Salah getting all the plaudits.
However, for a football team to thrive, each section needs to function as cogs in a well-oiled machine.
The playmakers bridge the gap between forwards and the rest of the team, necessary pivots delivering incisive passes, as well as the all-important final balls which catch defences napping.
Last time out, Eden Hazard was ahead of the pack, notching an impressive 15 assists in his swansong for Chelsea. He was ahead of a very colorful cast of players, and they are sure to provide us with another compelling race to the top of the assist rankings.
In this article, we sift through the crowded pool of Premier League playmakers and do our best to list the possible top 5 contenders for the Premier League Playmaker of the Season.
Honorable Mentions
Ryan Fraser (AFC Bournemouth), Leroy Sane (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
#5 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Paul Pogba has been the subject of intense scrutiny this summer, as he continues to be linked with a move away from Old Trafford. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is determined to keep hold of his multi-million dollar man, and he has taken Pogba with the team on tour.
Paul Pogba has had a glittering career so far, with his impressive stint in Juventus' colors earning him a massive £89.3 million move back to Old Trafford - a world record at the time. He received the Golden Boy award in 2013 and has won a plethora of trophies, including, 4 Scudetto, the FIFA World Cup, the Europa League, etc.
Last time out, the Frenchman notched 9 assists, and the bulk of that came during the post-Mourinho high the team was on, as the team went on an impressive unbeaten streak during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's so-called honeymoon period in-charge.
The new Man Utd boss is looking to build his new-look team around Paul Pogba, and he has a preference for fast-paced attacking football.
If Ole manages to persuade the Frenchman to stay put, we could see Pogba thrive in the new system, notching boatloads of assists as he pings decisive passes to his pacey teammates.