The Premier League has always been defined by its midfielders. They are the heartbeat of the game, the players who dictate the rhythm, who shape the tempo, and who give structure to everything happening around them.
A forward can decide a game with a flash of brilliance, a defender can save a side with a heroic block, but it is the midfielder who makes everything possible in between.
In 2025, the league is brimming with extraordinary midfield talent. Some are leaders, some are artists, and others are destroyers.
Together, they embody the different ways football can be played and controlled.
When ranking the very best midfielders this year, several key factors shaped the order. Performance across the season carried the most weight; consistency, numbers, and impact on games all had to be considered. Injuries naturally played a role, since availability matters just as much as ability.
Beyond that, the importance of each player to their side, both tactically and emotionally, proved vital. Success, whether collective silverware or individual accolades, also helped separate the good from the great.
With that in mind, here are the 10 best midfielders in the Premier League for 2025
- 10. Ryan Gravenberch – Liverpool: 7.0
- 9. Moisés Caicedo – Chelsea: 7.5
- 8. Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool: 7.5
- 7. Eberechi Eze – Arsenal: 8.0
- 6. Bruno Guimarães – Newcastle United: 8.0
- 5. Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool: 8.5
- 4. Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal: 9.0
- 3. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United: 9.3
- 2. Declan Rice – Arsenal: 9.5
- 1. Rodri – Manchester City: 10
10. Ryan Gravenberch – Liverpool: 7.0
Still just 23 years old, Ryan Gravenberch has started to show why so many clubs once saw him as one of Europe’s brightest midfield prospects.
After a mixed spell at Bayern Munich, his move to Liverpool has brought back the confidence in his stride. His tall frame, combined with smooth ball control, makes him an elegant carrier of possession through tight spaces.
This season, he has begun to translate potential into genuine influence. His progressive runs have given Liverpool another layer in midfield, particularly against teams that sit deep.
Gravenberch is not yet at the level of the established greats on this list, but his development curve is pointing upward. If he adds consistency and sharpness in decision-making, he has everything to become one of the most complete midfielders of his generation.
9. Moisés Caicedo – Chelsea: 7.5
The Ecuadorian midfielder has found his feet at Chelsea after a turbulent start. A record signing, Caicedo arrived with heavy expectations, and for a while, the weight of that fee seemed to slow him down. However, as the 2024–25 season has unfolded, his true qualities have once again emerged.
Caicedo thrives in chaos. He has the engine to cover ground endlessly, breaking up attacks, and protecting the back line with relentless energy.
More than just a destroyer, he has shown maturity in possession, recycling the ball and allowing Chelsea’s more attacking talents to flourish.
When Chelsea is under pressure, he is often the one throwing himself into tackles, intercepting passing lanes, and ensuring control is regained. At 23, he is already one of the finest defensive midfielders in England, and his influence at Stamford Bridge is only growing.
8. Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool: 7.5
Few midfielders in the Premier League bring as much dynamism as Dominik Szoboszlai. Signed from RB Leipzig in 2023, the Hungarian has adapted quickly to the intensity of English football. His long-range shooting is already feared across the league, and his set-piece delivery has added a new weapon to Liverpool’s attacking arsenal.
What sets Szoboszlai apart is his mix of industry and flair. He presses with intensity, runs tirelessly, and yet when the ball arrives at his feet, he has the touch of a creator.
His ability to carry the ball forward at pace gives Liverpool a directness in transition, often catching opponents off guard. Consistency is still a work in progress, but his ceiling is incredibly high. With his combination of technique, energy, and vision, Szoboszlai could soon climb even higher on lists like this.
7. Eberechi Eze – Arsenal: 8.0
Eberechi Eze is one of the purest entertainers in the Premier League. His style is joyful, almost playful, yet ruthlessly effective. He glides past defenders with dribbles that seem effortless, creating chances where none appear to exist.
Before leaving Crystal Palace for Arsenal, he was the spark that ignited the team. He can play as a traditional attacking midfielder or drift wide into a winger’s role, and in both positions, he carries a constant threat. His goals often arrive spectacularly, from curling strikes outside the box to dazzling solo runs.
More importantly, he has learned when to slow the game, when to keep the ball, and when to explode forward, making him more influential than ever.
Few midfielders in the league are as capable of turning a game on its head with one move. Eze is not just a highlight-reel player; he is becoming the complete package for Palace and one of the most exciting midfielders in England.
6. Bruno Guimarães – Newcastle United: 8.0
Bruno Guimarães is the conductor of Newcastle United’s rise under Eddie Howe. Everything runs through him: the calm passes that settle the team, the clever flicks that open space, the interceptions that stop opponents from breaking through.
Guimarães has a rare blend of grit and elegance.
He is willing to throw himself into tackles, but he does so with intelligence, rarely leaving his team exposed. On the ball, his composure is unmatched. Even under the fiercest press, he finds angles and plays forward passes that cut through defensive lines.
For Newcastle, he is the heartbeat, the one who allows their high-energy style to remain under control. Without him, their midfield looks rushed and imbalanced.
With him, it flows. Guimarães may not yet have the trophies that others on this list boast, but his influence is undeniable, and his quality is that of an elite midfielder.
5. Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool: 8.5
The Argentine World Cup winner has slotted into Liverpool’s midfield with remarkable ease. Known for his intelligence and adaptability, Alexis Mac Allister can play as a deep-lying playmaker, a box-to-box midfielder, or even higher up the pitch when required.
His composure on the ball is striking. He rarely looks hurried, even when opponents close in, and his passing range is vast. Whether it’s a short exchange to keep the ball moving or a line-breaking ball into attack, Mac Allister delivers with precision.
Beyond his technical qualities, he also brings balance to Liverpool. His positioning allows the more adventurous players around him to thrive, while his work rate ensures defensive stability.
Mac Allister is not the loudest personality on the pitch, but his importance cannot be overstated. He embodies the kind of midfielder every team craves: versatile, calm, and endlessly reliable.
4. Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal: 9.0
Few captains in the Premier League embody their team’s style of play as much as Ødegaard does for Arsenal. His game is built on vision, movement, and technical brilliance, and he is the player who brings Mikel Arteta’s system to life.
Ødegaard’s passing range is extraordinary. He can unlock compact defences with disguised balls between the lines, link fluidly with his forwards, and maintain Arsenal’s rhythm with quick exchanges. Off the ball, his work rate is immense.
He presses relentlessly, setting the tone for his teammates.
What makes him special is how seamlessly he combines artistry with responsibility. He is not just a luxury creator, but a leader who ensures Arsenal’s structure never falters.
At just 26, Ødegaard is already one of the finest attacking midfielders in world football and a central figure in Arsenal’s push for titles.
3. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United: 9.3
Bruno Fernandes has been the creative heartbeat of Manchester United since his arrival, and in 2025, that remains unchanged. His numbers speak for themselves: goals, assists, chances created, and endless involvement in the final third.
What makes Fernandes stand out is not just volume, but variety. He can split defences with a through ball, strike from distance with ferocity, or arrive late in the box to finish chances himself. He thrives in chaos, often at his most dangerous when games are stretched.
At times, his decision-making can be frustrating, as he constantly looks for the killer pass rather than the safer option. But that ambition is also what makes him so dangerous.
In a Manchester United side that has struggled for consistency, Fernandes has been the ever-present figure, driving them forward and carrying much of the creative burden on his shoulders.
2. Declan Rice – Arsenal: 9.5
Declan Rice has transformed Arsenal. His arrival from West Ham in 2023 brought more than just quality; it brought authority, belief, and control.
Rice is a rare midfielder who can dominate both defensively and offensively. His ball-winning ability is elite, reading plays before it happen and recovering possession with clean tackles or interceptions. Once he has the ball, he drives forward with purpose, breaking lines with powerful runs or sharp passes.
What sets Rice apart is his consistency. Week after week, he delivers top-level performances, never looking out of place, no matter the opponent.
His leadership, both vocal and through his play, has given Arsenal a backbone it had been missing for years. He is still only 26, but already one of the most complete midfielders the Premier League has seen in the modern era.
1. Rodri – Manchester City: 10
At the very top of this list stands Rodri, Manchester City’s midfield general and perhaps the most influential player in world football today.
Rodri is not flashy. He is not always the one producing highlight moments. Instead, he is the foundation upon which Pep Guardiola’s machine is built. His positional awareness is second to none, always in the right place to intercept danger, always available as the passing option to reset play. His ball retention is immaculate, rarely misplacing possession even under pressure.
When the moment demands it, he steps up with goals, too. From his Champions League final winner in 2023 to crucial strikes in domestic battles, Rodri has a knack for rising when it matters most.
His calm authority makes everything around him function, and without him, City look a different side.
Rodri is more than just a defensive midfielder; he is the standard-setter for the position. In 2025, there is no debate. He is the best midfielder in the Premier League, and arguably the world.
Notable Mention
- Cole Palmer
- Florian Wirtz
- Tijjani Reijnders
- Martin Zubimendi
- Youri Tielemans
- Sandro Tonali
- Morgan Gibbs-White
- Adam Wharton
- Morgan Rogers
- Elliot Anderson
You Might Also Want To Read This
- Top 10 Best Strikers (Centre-Forward) In The World 2024
- Top 10 Goalkeepers In The World 2024
- Top 10 Right Wingers In The World 2024
- Top 10 Best Left Back In The World 2024
- Top 10 Best Right Back In The World 2024
- Top 10 Attacking Midfielders In The World 2024
- Top 10 Defensive Midfielders In The World 2024
- Leeds United’s 10 Greatest Players Of All Time
- Aston Villa’s 10 Greatest Players Of All Time
- 8 Football Clubs That Have Suffered Deep Decline
- The Number 10 In Soccer – Why It’s So Special
- 10 Of The Greatest Danish Players Of All Time
- 10 Of The Greatest Irish Soccer Players Of All Time
