Ranked: This season’s 10 most creative players across Europe’s top five leagues so far

In football, goalscorers understandably get most of the credit when the net ripples.

But chances have to be created first, and there are a number of experts in that particular field who deserve some acclaim.

With that in mind, we’ve looked at every player in Europe’s top five leagues with over 200 minutes of football under their belt this season and ranked them by the number of chances created per 90 minutes.

Here are the top 10.

10. Jose Callejon

Club: Napoli

Total minutes played: 482

Chances created per 90 minutes: 3.55

Callejon is clearly thriving under new Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti, who arrived at Real Madrid in the same summer Callejon left for Naples. The Spaniard has provided three assists in Serie A so far this season.

9. Ganso

Club: Amiens

Total minutes played: 200

Chances created per 90 minutes: 3.60

In two seasons at Sevilla, Ganso made only 27 appearances across all competitions. Now on loan at Ligue 1 side Amiens, the Brazilian appears to be better suited to France, where only two players – we’ll get to them – have created more chances per 90 minutes.

8. Federico Bernardeschi

Club: Juventus

Total minutes played: 275

Chances created per 90 minutes: 3.60

Bernardeschi played a bit-part role in Juventus’ double-winning 2017/18 campaign, but the former Fiorentina winger is becoming a more important member of the squad this term, as illustrated by his creative statistics.

7. Michel

Club: Real Valladolid

Total minutes played: 435

Chances created per 90 minutes: 3.72

Having seemingly ended his long-running career in Spain to join Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F in 2016, Michel is now back in his home country with newly-promoted Valladolid. Both club and player have made an impressive start to the campaign, currently sitting seventh in La Liga.

6. Willian

Club: Chelsea

Total minutes played: 506

Chances created per 90 minutes: 3.74

He has been rotated with Pedro in the early stages of the season, but Willian has shown his obvious ability whenever possible already this term. Maurizio Sarri knows he can turn to the Brazilian to unlock a defence when needed.

5. Memphis Depay

Club: Lyon

Total minutes played: 668

Chances created per 90 minutes: 4.04

Depay must be even more frustrating to Manchester United fans now than he was when he played for the Premier League giants. The Dutchman continues to impress creatively for Lyon, although the Ligue 1 side have already lost three league games this season and Depay has only scored once.

4. Dimitri Payet

Club: Marseille

Total minutes played: 731

Chances created per 90 minutes: 4.19

At 31, Payet is showing no signs of slowing down. He has scored four goals and provided five assists in nine Ligue 1 appearances this season, directly contributing to more than half of Marseille’s 16 league goals.

3. Hakan Calhanoglu

Club: AC Milan

Total minutes played: 486

Chances created per 90 minutes: 4.26

Calhanoglu has provided more assists in 46 minutes of Europa League football (two) than he has in 486 minutes of Serie A action (one) this season, but that’s not for the want of trying on the Turkey international’s part.

2. Soufiane Boufal

Club: Celta Vigo

Total minutes played: 203

Chances created per 90 minutes: 4.43

His stunning goal for Southampton against West Bromwich Albion last season was a career high-point for Boufal, but he never really looked cut out for the Premier League. He is now on loan at Celta Vigo and has created more chances per 90 minutes than any other player in Spain this term.

1. Jadon Sancho

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Total minutes played: 242

Chances created per 90 minutes: 483

The plaudits keep on coming for Sancho, who could make his senior England debut during the current international break. The teenager has provided a total of nine assists in 10 appearances across all competitions for Dortmund, including six in the Bundesliga so far this season despite playing just 242 minutes of action. Those are some very impressive numbers for an 18-year-old.

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