Top 10 Best Attacking Midfielders in the World in 2025

Top 10 Best Attacking Midfielders in the World in 2025

The number 10 role is arguably one of the most important positions on the pitch. It is the position which is most likely the last step in an attack, completing the offensive transition with either a precise, pinpoint through pass to the striker or a spectacular worldie.

Attacking midfielders are often the ones you will watch on the tele making mazy runs, delivering pinpoint crosses from a set-piece or unlocking a once fortified defence with a deadly through pass. The position has majorly evolved over the years, with these players expected to almost obtain the skills to do everything – from tracking back to defensive midfield to being the one putting the ball in the net.

Finding a true, conventional, elite attacking midfielder is something that a club should treasure. They are often the stars and headline-makers of the team, with their perfect blend of magic, vision, and skills earning their keep as some of the most valuable assets in the footballing world.

This is the third edition of our “Top 10s”, following on from our centre-backs and left-backs lists and if you have read these then brilliant, you know what’s happening next. And if not, then go read them after this! For the latter, this is a ranked list, where we will be ranking the following athletes based on form, roles in their team, and how impactful they have been to them and/or their team’s success.

The following players fetch an incredible amount of money combined, and after delving into their market values from Transfermarkt, we calculated these attacking midfielders have an overall combined market value of just shy of €1bn, displaying their true worth to modern day football.

10. Eberechi Eze – Arsenal (MV: €55m)

At the 10 spot and kicking off this ranking is Arsenal’s star summer signing Eberechi Eze. This man has perhaps been the most overlooked number 10 over the past few years – and that was at Crystal Palace! Once playing alongside Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise, those players always took the headlines and made big moves elsewhere, completely overshadowing Eze’s true ability.

Olise’s blockbuster move to Munich last summer was potentially and inadvertently the best thing that could have happened to Eze as he was finally able to truly express himself as a player – in just 12 months he did just that, eventually earning this career move and moving up the food chain.

With the ball at his feet, he is simply one of the best. Last season, he was really able to prove himself to the world, as both a dead-ball specialist and a creative playmaker. Last season, the 27-year-old recorded his best season with the Eagles in terms of goal involvements – 14 goals and 12 assists in his first season where he was the main man encapsulates how good he can be at his limitless best, and he even topped it off by scoring the the winning goal at Wembley as Palace lifted their first major trophy.

Now at Arsenal and Eze is entering his prime, but he also returns to a familiar situation with the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Ødegaard playing around him. Will he once again be overshadowed by these big names or will he continue to shine and take the headlines again?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Eberechi Eze's statistically calculated WhoScored characteristics:

✅ Strengths:

🟢 Crossing
🟢 Dribbling
🟢 Long shots
🟢 Key passes
🟢 Taking set-pieces

❌ Weaknesses:

🔴 Aerial duels
🔴 Concentration https://t.co/EtjaJHn2Lm pic.twitter.com/97iBmoS142

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) July 25, 2025

9. Xavi Simons – Tottenham Hotspur (MV: €70m)

Staying in North London, and landing just ahead of Eze in this list, it is Tottenham’s new star Xavi Simons. The 22-year-old rapidly came up through La Masia before transferring to Paris Saint-Germain at just 16. Up until 2022, however, when he was still 19, he never got a good chance at either club.

He then moved back to the Netherlands where his career really took off, following his free transfer to PSV Eindhoven. He showed his immense eye for goal as well as his incredible playmaking instinct during his only season with the club, scoring 22 and assisting a further 11 in just 48 matches. At his more recent club RB Leipzig, he continued to be the star man, accumulating over 40 goal contributions in his two full seasons in Germany.

After a full summer of speculation, where Simons was seemingly destined for a move to Stamford Bridge, he ended up in North London, and we will hopefully get our first taste of Simons in this Thomas Frank setup after the international break.

8. Dani Olmo – Barcelona (MV: €60m)

Olmo is one of those players who completely flies under the radar, yet he will always be one of the first names on the team sheet – why, you ask? Firstly, his ability on the ball is so unique, yet so good to watch on the eye. He glides across the pitch into any space that even temporarily opens up, and he will create a chance out of absolutely nothing.

He can do it all too, whether it’s a perfect floater over the top of the defence to set up any clutch goal or a stunning strike the likes of Yaya Touré and Steven Gerrard would be proud of. After coming up through the Dinamo Zagreb youth set up, he earned his keep eventually getting a move to RB Leipzig, where he quickly became a star of the club that also gave others like Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku a platform to make that next step to a bigger club.

In 2024, he did enough to make the Spain squad that won the Euros last summer, playing a starring role in the side, as he made three goals and two assists in their incredible run to regaining the crown. Yet even on the international stage he was getting overlooked – granted it was by the entertaining young duo of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.

He then made his debut for Barcelona after a tricky start to life in Catalonia – not through the fault of his own, but when he finally got the green light as a Barca player he took it with both hands and was a central figure in their domestic treble success.

Dani Olmo was the highest rated player at EURO 2024 (7.72). 🌟

The 26-year-old is on his way to Barcelona for more than €60m, reports @FabrizioRomano. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/e6d65X4CNQ

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 6, 2024

7. Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool (MV: €80m)

We now head on to our third player of which emerged onto footballing fans’ radars via their time spent with RB Leipzig. Dominik Szoboszlai is one of the more consistent performers so far in this list, being a constant attacking threat. He has the all-round ability to seemingly be everywhere at once.

One second, he’ll be back defending, putting his physicality to good use, and the next he will be launching a thunderous strike into the top corner. He is also a terrifying threat from set-pieces, highlighted by his clutch free kick winner against Arsenal recently.

Last campaign, he played a crucial role in Arne Slot’s title-winning Reds side, picking up eight goals and eight assists in all competitions in his second season at Anfield. Now, he has seemed to have cemented himself in the starting XI, so Szoboszlai could still be breaking more barriers and finding more miraculous assists in the coming months.

Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick vs Arsenal. 😳🚀 pic.twitter.com/oZxMmKxh90

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 31, 2025

6. Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal (MV: €85m)

The Norwegian midfielder has been a staple in this Arsenal side for the past few seasons, while having the captain's armband since 2022. This is what sets him apart from other creative midfielders – not only does he bring the technical brilliance and playmaking ability of one of the best in the world, but he also brings leadership.

Right in the centre of the pitch, he sees everything that is going on, for club and country he is a central figure for both teams. To be able produce at his elite level season after season is something only few can muster whilst also having to lead the team through the good and bad times.

Silverware is still something that has always seemed to be on the cusp but just escape every year. He could easily be higher up on this list if success followed his way. He has always been an incredible player, but the silverware is always just a step too far.

I’ve watched it a hundred times. You will never see a more delicate assist. Ødegaard is pure poetry. pic.twitter.com/6puwnRfS0T

— French Gøøner (@dacodac) May 20, 2024

5. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United (MV: €50m)

Since joining Sporting CP back in 2017, it was always destined that Bruno was a star in the making. You could argue he is one of if not the most well-rounded attacking midfielder on this list. He does it all – both in terms of his relentless work rate and his creative and goalscoring prowess.

Firstly, his attacking returns record makes for incredible reading and is quite simply outstanding. Since making his debut in Lisbon in 2017, only one season has Fernandes not recorded 10+ goals and 10+ assists in all competitions. Since making his move to Manchester in 2020, he has been the only player keeping the club ticking, replicating these numbers year after year.

Even when United were sinking in an endless hole last season, Bruno is the machine, the engine that just never gave up, and took on the responsibilities himself of scoring and assisting. He created a boat load of chances that United last campaign, and also registered almost 20+ for both metrics last season – which included his seven goals on their run to the Europa League final, where Ruben Amorim’s side were just 90 minutes from redemption – we all know how that ended.

140 - Bruno Fernandes has created 140 chances in all competitions this season, the most of any player in Europe's big-five leagues. He's created 18 chances in his last two games alone (9 vs Coventry, 9 vs Sheffield United). Craftsman. pic.twitter.com/wd5pkitw6O

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 25, 2024

4. Florian Wirtz – Liverpool (MV: €140m)

The once holder of the British transfer record has made huge waves in recent seasons. Everyone always knew he was destined to reach the best of the best, and his graft through both FC Köln and Bayer Leverkusen youth teams has officially paid dividends.

Wirtz was just 17 years old when he began his first full season in the Leverkusen senior team and he registered 15 goal contributions before recording 24 in the next. Like Bruno, Wirtz is also one of those complete and true attacking midfielders. He doesn’t just create and definitely has a number of spectacular strikes in his locker - especially from a dead ball.

Despite his young age, he has still proved that he has the ability to become the number one on this list in years to come, and we have been treated to some incredible campaigns by the now 22-year-old already. His final two season at BayArena, Wirtz recorded 18 goals and 19 assists in their invincibles season through just 4 games at the age of just 20, before following that season up with another 30 contributions in the next.

Now, he’s entered the Premier League with Champions Liverpool, carrying an enormous price tag on his back – and despite his rather underwhelming start, I have no doubt he will find his footing and become a star at Anfield.

Florian Wirtz = free-kick master ✨#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/fOsYoi4HoI

— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) September 8, 2025

3. Cole Palmer – Chelsea (MV: €120m)

Of course, I am a Chelsea fan, but I still have to say Cole Palmer is simply magnificent. The way he can just glide and weave his way out of trouble at every turn is stunning to watch, and his way of playing the game we all love with such freedom and his knack of looking so nonchalant is just a joy to watch.

Switching Sky Blue for Royal Blue back in 2023 was probably the best thing that could have happened for both Palmer in his career and also Chelsea at the time. It was a very rocky season for Chelsea, and all Blues fans will agree that it was Palmer who dragged them out of mediocrity. Despite the team lacking that scoring touch and instinct up top, Palmer was always there and always scoring in the big games when Chelsea needed him most.

In his debut season, the then 21-year-old bagged himself an immensely impressive 40 goal contributions in just 45 appearances in all competitions, followed by 26 in the next, despite many believing he had “fallen off.”

There are so many marvellous performances in big games by Palmer, with his clutch hat-trick in April 2024 against Man United coming to mind shortly before his overall performance in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final amongst his array of highlight reel goals and performances to choose from, all followed by that trademark, nonchalant “Cold” celebration.

The entire PSG backline froze at the sight of Cole Palmer

Sub-zero stuff 🥶 pic.twitter.com/2tYsxTLJ7N

— Peter Not Drury ₿ (@PeterNotDrury) July 15, 2025

2. Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich (MV: €140m)

Just missing out on the top spot on this list, it’s the generational talent that is Jamal Musiala. Since storming onto the scene back in 2020 and becoming the youngest ever goalscorer in Bayern Munich’s history at the tender age of just 17 years and 115 days, then a few months later became their youngest scorer in the Champions League too. Musiala has since gone onto become one of the best attacking midfielders in the world.

Musiala is easily one of if not the best dribbler in the world, without a shadow of a doubt – the way he breezes freely past any defence, gliding into and through the smallest defensive gaps before placing the ball so perfectly in the corner, even rivalling the magician that is Lionel Messi – sometimes it simply isn’t human.

His mazy, godlike dribbles is a main reason for his podium ranking on this list. There is arguably no other player I would rather have in the final third than Musiala, because he possesses a lethal strike that near matches the true brilliance of his tight-knit footwork.

He may be out long-term after his shocking ankle-break injury at the Club World Cup, but after recording north of 70 goal contributions in the past three campaigns alone, he is sure to be back to his best in 2026, where he will hope to be the shining star in Germany’s bid to retaining the World Cup to add to his already impressive trophy cabinet.

#OnThisDay in 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣...@JamalMusiala became our youngest ever goalscorer in the @ChampionsLeague 💎#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/nfCz7MW4dp

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) February 23, 2023

1. Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid (MV: €180m)

Despite some very stiff competition among this position on the pitch, there is one player who rises above the rest – Jude Bellingham. A taker of the headlines for both good and bad reasons – whether it's his stunning overhead kick in the Euros against Slovakia, or his controversial gesture to the crowd in the same game.

There is absolutely no issue with this arrogance, however, as it shapes Bellingham truly as the player he is now. He’s not afraid to shout at his teammates or get in the heads of his opponents.

My dad once gave my local childhood team a rather cheesy speech which spurred us on to win a tournament around a decade ago, and the theme of it was “inches” and how important it is to never give in and instead to fight and gain for every inch you can – and Bellingham’s all-round game is based upon resilience and his fighting spirit to never give up, even if it seems like a lost cause.

This mentality was what brought England back from the brink to not only win that game but to take them all the way to the final, and it could also be the reason the country celebrates its first World Cup victory in 60 years next summer. He is a leader in the making, and when Harry Kane retires, I will be surprised if the armband doesn’t fall down to Bellingham.

UNBELIEVABLE 🤩

Jude Bellingham pulls out an overhead kick to save England in the dying moments 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#EURO2024 | #ENGSVK pic.twitter.com/px4qLzJQoq

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 30, 2024