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Lionel Messi celebrates scoring for PSG in their Ligue 1 match against Toulouse at Parc des Princes, Paris, February 2023.

The top 10 assisters in Europe in 2022-23 features Crystal Palace star and TWO Arsenal men

Ben Stewart •

Stars from Crystal Palace, PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City were among the top creative players in Europe in 2022-23.

We’ve compiled the top 10 players with the most assists in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

Note: whereby players are tied on the same number of assists, we’ve listed them in order of the best minutes-per-assist ratio.

10. Bukayo Saka (11 assists)

Mikel Arteta has pushed his Arsenal squad to a new level in 2022-23 and Saka in particular has thrived during their title-chasing campaign. It was his most productive in terms of goal involvements and you suspect the best is yet to come.

The 21-year-old is undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s best players and Arsenal fans ought to be thrilled the club have tied him down at the Emirates with a new contract that runs to 2027.

9. Randal Kolo Muani (11 assists)

The French playmaker had the season of his life for Eintracht Frankfurt.

With 15 league goals and 11 assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances, Kolo Muani has been one of the most prolific players in Europe – and one of only a handful to register double figures for both.

8. Michael Olise (11 assists)

Crystal Palace’s season took a long old while to get going, but once Patrick Vieira was replaced by wily old veteran Roy Hodgson, they kicked into gear and started to realise their unquestionable attacking potential.

Olise was front and centre of Hodgson’s Palace revitalisation, looking on fire in the latter half of the 2022-23 campaign and ended up with a very respectable tally of 11 assists.

7. Neymar (11 assists)

After sustaining a serious ankle injury, Neymar has been ruled out of the remainder of the season for PSG. Prior to the injury setback, Neymar was in the form of his life.

In the league alone he has 24 goal contributions in just 20 appearances. Hopefully, he comes back just as strong next season.

5. Mohamed Salah (12 assists)

Liverpool’s Egyptian King didn’t look at his best in the final weeks of Liverpool’s quadruple chase last term, and he started this season slowly, but he grew into the campaign and has more than justified last summer’s bumper new deal.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds endured an underwhelming 2022-23 campaign – one which Salah described as “totally devastating” – but Liverpool’s No.11 can hold his head up high after another brilliant individual campaign. He notched 19 goals and 12 assists as Liverpool ended up fifth.

4. Raphael Guerrero (12 assists)

The Borussia Dortmund left-back stepped things up considerably as they pushed Bayern in the Bundesliga title race.

Six of Guerrero’s 12 Bundesliga assists for Dortmund have come in his last 10 appearances. He also scored on the final day, giving Dortmund brief hope as they blew their chances of a first title in 11 years on the final day against Mainz.

4. Leandro Trossard (12 assists)

Only one player (the next man on this list) has registered more assists than Trossard so far this calendar year. The Belgian has set up 10 assists for Arsenal since making the mid-season move from Brighton, adding to the couple he registered for the Seagulls in the first half of the 2022-23 campaign.

3. Antoine Griezmann (16 assists)

The Frenchman has looked back to his best this season for club and country. Griezmann was one of the stars of the 2022 World Cup and he’s been just as useful for Atletico Madrid.

With 15 league goals and 16 assists, Griezmann has been involved in 44% of the goals that Atletico Madrid have scored this season. Arguably La Liga’s best player this season.

 

2. Lionel Messi (16 assists) 

No surprises here as Messi ranks among the most creative players in Europe once again. He averaged a goal or assist per game in Ligue 1 in 2022-23 (16 assists; 16 goals; 32 appearances) and when he’s in the mood, there’s no stopping him.

Messi provided his 300th club career assist in March with this fine pass to Kylian Mbappe against Brest.

1. Kevin De Bruyne (16 assists)

Having De Bruyne and Erling Haaland in the same team should be illegal. The Belgian playmaker has thrived this season with Manchester City’s new number nine – Europe’s top assister and scorer respectively.

De Bruyne leads the way with 16 assists in fewer minutes than Messi and Griezmann. He’s also been doing it on all fronts in City’s treble chase – his two assists for Ilkay Gundogan in the FA Cup final take his tally to 31 in all competitions, which is 10 more than any other player from Europe’s major leagues.

READ NEXT: The 10 players with the most goals & assists in Europe in 2022-23: Messi…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club to ever appear in the Premier League?

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