With the Premier League approaching halfway point, Telegraph Sport draws breath and picks the standout players of season so far
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Premier League
The top 30 men's footballers in Britain today
As 2023 draws towards a close, Telegraph Sport will be assessing the top 30 players in Britain across the biggest sports this week.
Here is our list of the best men’s footballers in the Britain, based on performances this campaign.
30. Carlos Baleba (Brighton)
At the age of just 20, Baleba has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most dynamic and exciting central midfielders. Brighton sold Moises Caicedo for £115 million and Baleba now appears to be treading the same path. Bigger clubs are watching.
29. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa)
Is there a more entertaining footballer in the Premier League than Durán, Villa’s agent of chaos? He started this season as the super-sub who seemed to score whenever he touched the ball, and now he has seemingly displaced Ollie Watkins as Villa’s first-choice striker. Durán has only just turned 21. His potential is frightening.
Jhon Duran has provided several memorable moments already this season
Jhon Durán has provided several memorable moments already this season
28. Alex Iwobi (Fulham)
Iwobi has endured difficult moments in his career, including in his patchy spell at Everton, but he has found a home at Fulham and is now playing the best football of his life. With five goals and three assists this season, he has been the most important attacking player in Marco Silva’s team.
27. Boubacar Kamara (Aston Villa)
The likes of Durán and Morgan Rogers feature in more headlines but Kamara is the midfielder who provides the platform for the attacking players at Villa. It could be argued that the Frenchman is the most underrated player in the Premier League, with his tactical intelligence helping him always to be in the right place at the right time.
Boubacar Kamara has helped mitigate the loss of Douglas Luiz in Aston Villa's midfield this season
Boubacar Kamara has helped mitigate the loss of Douglas Luiz in Aston Villa’s midfield
26. Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
The last few weeks have demonstrated Diallo’s enormous talent and the 22-year-old has been one of the obvious winners of the change in manager at Old Trafford. For United supporters, he is probably the main source of hope for the future. His winning goal at Manchester City was a masterpiece.
25. David Raya (Arsenal)
The standout goalkeeper in the Premier League at the moment, Raya has made a series of spectacular saves and has hardly put a foot wrong all season. His distribution is phenomenal. The Arsenal fans loved Aaron Ramsdale but, to be blunt, they have now moved on from him. They can all see Raya’s class.
David Raya has helped Arsenal fans move on from Aaron Ramsdale
David Raya has helped Arsenal fans move on from Aaron Ramsdale
24. Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth are the surprise package of this season and it has been a collective success for Andoni Iraola’s side. There is not one obvious star of their team. Of all their players, though, Kerkez has been perhaps the most consistently impressive. The 21-year-old left-back is clearly heading for the very top.
23. Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)
What a year it has been for Cucurella. Not so long ago, he was an outcast at Chelsea with an uncertain future. Now, he is a European Championship winner with Spain and one of the first names on the team sheet at his club. He is intense, energetic, dangerous on the overlap and clever when he drifts into midfield.
Marc Cucurella has dispelled any notion that he is not good enough for Chelsea
Marc Cucurella has dispelled any notion that he is not good enough for Chelsea
22. Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
Robinson has been playing for Fulham since 2020 and he seems to be improving with each year. His current level of performance is surely the highest of his career, with the United States international impressing with his aggressive and front-foot approach. No defender has assisted more than his six goals so far in the league.
21. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Now a full England international, Rogers has been one of the breakthrough players of the season. The 22-year-old is the most powerful runner in the division and he regularly runs through his opponents like a rugby player. If he can add a more clinical edge in the penalty area, he could be unstoppable.
Morgan Rogers has been hugely impressive since breaking into the Villa midfield
Morgan Rogers has been hugely impressive since breaking into the Villa midfield
20. Luis Díaz (Liverpool)
It is a measure of Díaz’s technical quality and footballing intelligence that he has thrived as a roaming central striker in recent weeks. The Colombian has shown he is so much more than just a winger, and his stamina is extraordinary.
19. Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)
Milenkovic is arguably the signing of the season, at just over £10 million. A commanding presence in the air, the Serbia international has helped Forest to address one of their biggest weaknesses last season: set-pieces. He has proved to be the perfect partner for the similarly impressive Murillo at centre-back.
Nikola Milenkovic has been one of the signings of the season
Nikola Milenkovic has been one of the signings of the season
18. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Fernandes might not be to everyone’s taste but there can be no denying his importance to United’s attacking efforts. Since Erik ten Hag’s sacking, the Portuguese has been hugely productive in the final third, scoring six goals and registering five assists in 13 appearances.
17. Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal)
Gabriel receives less praise than his centre-back partner, William Saliba, but there are those at Arsenal who believe the burly Brazilian is the more important of the two. Not least because he is such a threat at set-pieces. The 27-year-old has grown into a reliable, commanding presence at the back.
Gabriel is one half of a formidable centre-back partnership at Arsenal
Gabriel is one half of a formidable centre-back partnership at Arsenal
16. Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
The softly spoken, piano-playing forward continues to go from strength to strength and is now Brentford’s star man. Mbeumo works hard for his team, creates chances and scores goals. It is only a matter of time, surely, before a top club comes in for him.
15. Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
The undisputed front man of Enzo Maresca’s team, Jackson has reduced £52 million forward Christopher Nkunku to the role of occasional back-up. Jackson is not the most clinical finisher but he has still scored nine league goals and his energy makes him a fundamental part of Chelsea’s game, on and off the ball.
Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammate Enzo Fernandez during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Brentford FC at Stamford Bridge on December 15, 2024 in London, England
Nicolas Jackson has become Chelsea’s first-choice front man
14. Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)
Forest are the Premier League’s biggest overachievers so far this season and Wood is their star man, even at the age of 33. His return of 10 goals in 17 league appearances reflects both Forest’s quality as a team and his individual brilliance in front of goal.
13. Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
Where would Arsenal be if Odegaard had not missed two months of this season through injury? On top form, the Norwegian is the league’s most artful and watchable player. He is also crucial to Arsenal’s defensive efforts without the ball, often leading their press in the opposition’s half.
The effect on Arsenal of Martin Odegaard's injury-enforced absence underlined his value to them
The effect on Arsenal of Martin Odegaard’s injury-enforced absence underlined his value to them
12. Matheus Cunha (Wolves)
It might seem unusual for a player in a struggling team to feature so highly on a list such as this, but Cunha’s brilliance is all the more impressive because he is playing for a Wolves side that have endured such a painful start to the campaign. The Brazilian has moved into a different gear this season, scoring a series of spectacular goals and almost single-handedly keeping Wolves competitive in many of their games.
11. Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)
A return of 10 goals and four assists in 15 league appearances has underlined why many consider Isak to be the best player outside of the so-called ‘big six’. At 25, the Sweden international is approaching his peak years and has all the ingredients required to play at the very highest level. Composed, quick, skilful and aggressive.
Alexander Isak gives Newcastle a superb cutting edge
Alexander Isak gives Newcastle a superb cutting edge
10. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)
The smooth start to Arne Slot’s Liverpool career would not have been possible without Gravenberch’s unexpected success as a deep-lying midfielder. Liverpool spent much of the summer trying to find a new player for this role, but Gravenberch has now made it his own with his skill and ability to disrupt the opposition.
9. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
No player in the Premier League can pass the ball like Alexander-Arnold. Even though his role has changed following Jürgen Klopp’s departure, Alexander-Arnold remains the standout full-back in the division. Liverpool must do all they can to keep him.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has excelled despite speculation over his Liverpool future
Trent Alexander-Arnold has excelled despite speculation over his Liverpool future
8. Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur)
Spurs have had a patchy campaign but Kulusevski has impressed, both on the flank or in an attacking midfield position. He regards the more central role as his natural position and he has excelled in and out of possession this season. He is by far the most consistent of Ange Postecoglou’s players.
7. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Haaland has dropped down this list after a spectacular start to the season in which he scored nine goals in the first four league games. As City’s form has collapsed, the Norwegian has appeared an increasingly isolated figure. It is surely only a matter of time before he is firing again… isn’t it?
Erling Haaland's dip in form mirrors Manchester City's current malaise
Erling Haaland’s dip in form mirrors Manchester City’s current malaise
6. William Saliba (Arsenal)
This season has not gone entirely to plan for Arsenal but Saliba’s development has continued apace. The Frenchman has established himself as one of Europe’s finest defenders and is still adding layers to his game, seemingly, with each passing week.
5. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Liverpool’s captain remains as imperious as ever, providing the defensive platform that has allowed Slot’s team to take control of the title race. The 33-year-old has so far played every minute of Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League campaigns.
Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of Liverpool's league campaign
Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of Liverpool’s league campaign
4. Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)
Caicedo is probably the best central midfield player in the country at the moment. The £115 million signing from Brighton needed time to adapt but, in Maresca’s well-structured Chelsea team, he is now at his dynamic and aggressive best.
3. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Saka continues to improve with each season. The Arsenal winger is so devastating that he is now often attracting the attention of three defenders at once. Strong, fast, intelligent and clinical, he is the leader of Arsenal’s attack. His hamstring injury could prove to be a debilitating blow for his club.
How Arsenal manage without the injured Bakayo Saka will go a long way to determining their fate this season
How Arsenal manage without the injured Bakayo Saka will go a long way to determining their fate this season
2. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Palmer has proven that his remarkable first season at Chelsea was no fluke. The 22-year-old’s creativity and decisiveness has made him the standout playmaker in the Premier League this season.
1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
At the age of 32, Salah is arguably better than he has ever been as an all-round attacking force. The Liverpool forward is scoring and creating at a relentless rate, and is the first player to reach double figures for both goals and assists before Christmas in a Premier League season. Is it possible that the uncertainty over his future is pushing him to even greater levels of performance?
Mohamed Salah is arguably performing as well as he has ever done
Mohamed Salah is arguably performing as well as he has ever done
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