Ranking the five best midfielders in the Premier League in 2024
Who was the best midfielder in the Premier League in 2024? ????
Throughout Premier League history, there have been a whole host of elite midfielders to have played on English shores.
Names such as Kevin De Bruyne, Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard instantly spring to mind.
The Premier League still features some of the best midfielders in world football.
The FIFPro XI features the likes of Rodri and De Bruyne, which highlights the sheer quality the position in the English top-flight has to this day.
However, five of them stood out amongst the very best in the Premier League when looking at the entirety of the year.
5. Alexis Mac Allister
Alexis Mac Allister was instrumental for Liverpool throughout the calendar year.
During Jurgen Klopp’s final season at Anfield, the Argentine played a vital role for the Reds as both a holding midfielder as well as a number eight when playing in front of Wataru Endo.
Klopp likened Mac Allister to Ilkay Gundogan and it is easy to see why considering the former Brighton technician is also similarly versatile and intelligent as the treble-winner.
Mac Allister’s ability to dictate the tempo of a game, always emerge as a safe pass for his Liverpool teammates in tight areas, dogged defensive work and liveliness in the final third make him a true all-rounder of a midfielder.
Under Arne Slot, the World Cup winner has been a class act as well, giving the Dutchman the tactical freedom to play him as either an advanced number eight or deeper to conduct the midfield.
Mac Allister might lack the goals and assists of some of the Premier League’s other big-name midfielders but his actual influence on proceedings can never be called under question.
- READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister reveals the change he’s made in Liverpool training because of Mohamed Salah
4. Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard enjoyed yet another stupendous year in an Arsenal shirt.
Donning the armband while running the show from them in a more withdrawn role as a hybrid between a number eight and a number 10, the Norwegian has been a joy to watch.
Unfortunately for Odegaard, an ill-timed ankle injury has meant he missed a significant chunk of football this season and since his return, it is naturally taking him time to play his best football again.
But for how influential the former Real Madrid playmaker has been to Arsenal in terms of connecting their midfield to attack and forming an incredibly dangerous partnership with Bukayo Saka on the right flank, especially last season, he deserves all the praise in the world.
Don Hutchison reckons Arsenal will miss out on top four in Odegaard’s absence, which goes to show how important he is to the Gunners’ success.
- READ MORE: Arsenal legend Martin Keown shares who he thinks is the most important player in the Premier League
3. Rodri
Rodri had somewhat of a mixed bag of a year.
On one hand, the Manchester City maestro won the Premier League title, the European Championship with Spain and the Ballon d’Or, marking one of the most fruitful periods in his career.
But it is also important to remember that Rodri is currently nursing an ACL injury, which is expected to keep him out of action until the end of the 2024/2025 season.
However, the time that the Spaniard has spent on the pitch last year, whether that has been for club or even for country has been nigh-on perfect.
For Manchester City last season, Rodri virtually made up for Gundogan’s exit by transforming into a de-facto box-to-box midfielder by not just dictating and breaking up play but providing 23 goal contributions (nine goals and 14 assists) in all competitions.
It seems to be widely agreed that the four-time Premier League winner is the best midfielder in the world and it is a shame that a devastating injury has stopped him in his tracks from potentially another unforgettable campaign.
- READ MORE: Conor Gallagher names Manchester City duo among the three toughest opponents he’s ever faced
2. Moises Caicedo
Enzo Maresca’s praise for Moises Caicedo sparked headlines as he felt he was on the same level as both Rodri and Declan Rice, who are widely viewed as the Premier League’s two best holding midfielders.
Maresca’s view will likely continue to divide opinion but it is indisputable how terrific Caicedo was for Chelsea last year.
It was in the second half of last season where the 23-year-old came into his own, holding the fort at the base of Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield.
While this campaign, the Chelsea dynamo has arguably been the best midfielder in the league, emerging as a one-man wall in the middle of the park while also breaking the lines at will and being extremely press-resistant at all times.
Enzo Fernandez often ventures forward while even Malo Gusto is asked to operate as a de-facto attacking midfielder when Enzo Maresca’s side have the ball.
Yet, Caicedo has seemed unflustered in his responsibilities, despite having to do a lot of dogwork in midfield as he continues to perform at a world-class level.
- READ MORE: Graham Potter shares honest verdict on ‘top’ Moises Caicedo after Chelsea draw at Manchester United
1. Cole Palmer
Thierry Henry questioned Pep Guardiola for Manchester City’s decision to sell Cole Palmer, a choice that could very well age like the Blues’ calls to offload De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.
The Englishman was arguably the best player in the league last season, scoring 22 goals for a Chelsea side that finished sixth.
While this season as well, Palmer has emerged as the London club’s primary difference-maker in attack, creating and scoring goals for fun.
Alongside Caicedo, the Englishman is the main reason why Chelsea are in a title race.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 2 |  ChelseaChelsea | 17 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 37 | 19 | 18 | 35 |
Jamie Carragher hailed Palmer as the best player in England over the past 18 months and judging by his impact at Stamford Bridge and the output he has produced, it is hard to look past him as the standout midfielder in the league last year.
While some may argue that the Premier League winner played as a winger under Mauricio Pochettino, it is important to understand that he was handed a free role, much like orthodox attacking midfielders such as Kaka and Juan Roman Riquelme.
As a result, it would be inaccurate to claim that Palmer was playing a definitive role last season and under Enzo Maresca, where he has certainly played as a number 10, he has been simply breathtaking.
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