Top 5 defenders with most assists in Premier League history 

2. Graeme Le Saux - 44 assists

Jermain Defoe, Graeme Le Saux

Former Chelsea and England regular Graeme Le Saux is one of the first players in the Premier League era to make a successful transition from a left-winger role to that of a left-back. His style of play was similar to that of a modern-day wing-back and that's the reason why he was so good at distribution from the left flank even after being pushed further deep into this own half midway through his career.

Unlike most of the players in this list, most of his contributions came from open play rather than set-pieces. Despite not being the best at taking free-kicks he could produce a powerful shot from his left foot.

The 1994-95 title winner with Blackburn Rovers became the most expensive defender in the English top-flight when he returned to his boyhood club Chelsea in the summer of 1997, with the Blues deciding that the player's attacking prowess made him worth £5 million at that time.

Of the 44 assists that he racked up throughout his career, the majority of them came during his spell with Blackburn, where he also achieved a career-best of eight assists in the 1993-94 campaign.