'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United have been reckless with their spending in the transfer window. But as of late, they've been changing it around and Bruno Fernandes' signing is the best example of this. The Portuguese has put the Red Devils into top gear and after years of being devoid of creativity in midfield, United have no shortage of it now.
Trending
Fernandes is always looking to pass the ball forward. He is a very quick passer and often lets the ball out of his feet and onto the path of an oncoming attacker before the defenders can blink. He has an incredible passing range and his lovely little dinked balls into the box are a treat to watch.
Fernandes is also one of the best penalty takers in the business. He switches up his style often and almost always gets the better of the goalkeeper. The Manchester United man has not missed a penalty in his last 4 seasons. Fernandes' footballing intelligence has already drawn comparison to Paul Scholes'.
Francesco Guidolin, Bruno’s manager at Udinese, once remarked,
“When I speak about Bruno Fernandes, what comes to mind is the intelligence of the boy. He was, above all, very clever — both as a player and as a person.”
#2 Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino's detractors will pull up his poor goalscoring record at Anfield this season and his relatively lower output in a frontline that has Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to argue that he is perhaps overrated. But if you've watched Liverpool play, then you'd know that Firmino is one of the most vital cogs in Klopp's system.
A number 9 like no other, Firmino is one of the main reasons behind Salah's and Mane's prolific streak. The Brazilian has excellent technique, his no-look passes and flicks helping Liverpool leave Premier League defenders flat footed and clutching at thin air.
Firmino drops deep and draws defenders on to him thereby freeing up space for the rest of his teammates and also has the ability to catch up with them by the time they make it to the final third. His dummies and little feints are all calculated and it's fair to say that he is one of the most intelligent footballers on the planet.
#1 Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller does not stand out on the football pitch in the ordinary sense. But don't mistake his apparent anonymity for lack of ability. Thomas Muller has been one of the best forwards in the game for several years now.
The German is neither physically dominant nor does he pack a lot of flair. But he does a bit of everything. He has always been a great poacher and has built his career out of being at the right place at the right time.
Thomas Muller's passing and movement are textbook material. He is virtually impossible to mark, loves to run off the last defender's shoulder and is always popping up in pockets of space to link up with his teammates.
Muller is also an excellent reader of the game and he often ends up anticipating balls into the box better than anyone else on the pitch. That is definitely one of the reasons why he has scored so many goals in his career.
Players who can match Muller's intelligence on the field are hard to come by and that's the reason why he will always be regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation.
