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#3 Sergej Milinković-Savić
A popular name in Serie A for the past couple of years, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has seen his market value rise to as high as €90m. At present, he is valued at €70m and that is proof of how good 2021 has been for him. Many have argued in the recent past that the midfielder deserves to play for a bigger club.
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The Lazio man has a knack for scoring goals. He also functions as a creative operator, allowing his teammates to put the ball in the back of the net. It really is a surprise that the Serie A side have managed to hold on to him for so long. Big sharks like Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid have all been interested in his signing.
Milinkovic-Savic's work ethic, his aggression and intensity on the field are contagious and make him a real match winner. He is a top competitor on the football field and is always part of the action. The Serbian has netted 10 goals and provided 12 assists in Serie A in 2021.
#2 Nicolo Barella
Nicolo Barella has everything in him that an Antonio Conte midfielder should have. A fiery attitude, the ability to turn up on big occasions, a head to manage big and daunting situations. So clearly when those two paired up special things happened and Inter Milan ran away with the Serie A title.
Despite Conte's departure from Serie A, the midfielder has continued to shine. He will conclude the year as one of the best midfielders in the Italian top-flight. His ability to unlock defenses and set his attacking players free is quite exceptional.
The Italian is among the most gifted players in Serie A and therefore functions extremely well in a mezalla-like role. He is extremely mobile and stretches the opposition defense by shifting wide and playing between defensive lines.
Barella has managed eight assists in just 17 Serie A games this season, one less than the nine assists he managed in 36 matches last season. He has scored thrice in the 2021 calendar year. The 24-year old is only going to get better from this point onwards.
#1 Piotr Zielinski
No offense to anybody, but that name gives low-key mafia vibes when you first hear it. Watch Piotr Zielinski on the field and he does justify those vibes with his football. Without a doubt, the attacking midfielder is one of the most underrated names in Serie A right now.
He recorded his career best stats for Napoli last season, scoring 10 goals and assisting 13. The Poland international has continued performing at the same pace. He's not your average box-to-box midfielder. He has the creativity, the swagger, the sauce and goal contributions to show for it all.
Zielinski will end 2021 with 12 goals and 13 assists to his name in Serie A. The Napoli midfielder is good at disrupting the opposition from building their play and quick to initiate counters. He works tirelessly, presses with great intensity and creates space for his fellow teammates.
The 27-year-old is tied to a contract with the Serie A side until 2024, but now that he is hitting his prime, the suitors will soon knock on his door.
