Ranking the 10 best Premier League midfielders of all time

Ladbrokes ranks the 10 best Premier League midfielders of all time ahead of Kevin De Bruyne's Manchester City departure.

The Belgian maestro's announcement that he will leave the Premier League champions this summer has sparked a debate over where De Bruyne, who is expected to move to the MLS this summer, fits among the very best to play the position in the top flight.

From legendary one-club men to technical geniuses and tireless ball-winners, here are the top 10 best ever Premier League midfielders.

Cesc Fabregas was one of Spain's best imports into the Premier League, controlling games with his technical ability and passing range.

The playmaker, third in the league's all-time assist charts with 111, broke through as a youngster at Arsenal, rising to become captain in North London before winning two Premier League titles at Chelsea following a spell with Barcelona.

N'Golo Kante burst onto the scene at the heart of Leicester's fairytale title-winning team in 2015-16 before winning a further two with Chelsea, covering every blade of grass as a truly unique, ball-winning midfield engine.

Just like Kante, few could do what Yaya Toure did during his prime years at Man City, with his unstoppable driving runs from midfield and goalscoring ability a key reason behind the club's rise to prominence in the 2010s.

His 20 goals and nine assists as Man City won the title in 2013-14 will go down as one of the finest individual midfield seasons the league has seen.

Just edging out his City team-mate in the rankings, David Silva is undoubtedly one of most talented players to grace England's top flight.

Nicknamed 'The Magician' for his magical ability to find pockets of space and pick out a pass, it is unlikely Man City would have gone on to achieve what they have without the little Spaniard conducting things at the heart of midfield.

The lynchpin of Arsenal's midfield during their legendary 'Invincibles' season in 2003-04, Patrick Vieira's leadership and physical prowess made the Gunners a force to be reckoned with under Arsene Wenger.

The France World Cup winner's battles with Roy Keane (more on him later) have gone down in football folklore with the two the main protagonists of Arsenal and Manchester United's iconic rivalry in the early 1990s and early 2000s.

Pipping his old rival to a place in the top five is Keane, who now grabs headlines for his hilarious punditry but in his playing days, was one of Manchester United's greatest ever captains.

Known for his leadership and hard tackling, what was perhaps underrated from the Irishman's game was his intelligence on the ball, while his seven Premier League titles cement him among the greats.

Paul Scholes was the engine of Man Utd's midfield for the best part of 20 years, with many of his peers regarding him as their greatest ever opponent.

The Red Devils maestro was untouchable in the centre of the park and his exceptional vision and passing range mean there are few who matched him.

The Premier League's highest scoring midfielder, Frank Lampard was best renowned for his trademark runs into the box to finish off chances for Chelsea.

As the only non-forward in the top 10 Premier League goalscorers alongside three Premier League titles, Lampard is well deserving of his place in the top three.

The Blues legend even finished second in the Ballon d'Or in 2005 behind only Ronaldinho, a true sign of his brilliance.

With six Premier League titles, 118 assists and countless defence-splitting passes overs the years, legendary Man City star De Bruyne is undoubtedly one of the finest players to grace the Premier League.

The 33-year-old's influence has weakened slightly due to repeated injuries but reminded everyone of his quality on Saturday by inspiring City to a 5-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace, bagging a goal and an assist in an all-action display.

With the possibility of ending the season with another FA Cup also on the line, so do not bet against the remarkable playmaker producing a few more match-winning moments before his time at the Etihad is up.

Despite not winning the Premier League, it is hard to argue against Steven Gerrard being the greatest player the competition has seen.

The Liverpool icon is perhaps the most complete midfielder of all on this list was the heartbeat of the club and the team for the majority of his career, often winning matches on his own with his tenacious tackling, arrowing passes and penchant for a stunning goal.

Off the back of the news of De Bruyne's departure from Man City at the end of the season, Ladbrokes released an article looking at the Belgian's best moments in the Premier League as well as his potential replacements and who else could depart from the Etihad this summer.

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