{"id":1341344,"date":"2024-02-23T14:35:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T14:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1341344"},"modified":"2024-02-23T14:35:13","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T14:35:13","slug":"the-best-goalscoring-midfielders-in-europe-right-now","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/the-best-goalscoring-midfielders-in-europe-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The best goalscoring midfielders in Europe right now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although strikers shoulder most of the burden, every team can benefit from a top-class goalscoring midfielder.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

From Frank Lampard to Kaka, the modern game has been littered with midfielders netting both in high volumes and at times of great importance. Even more vital are those who can time their runs into the box or hit it ‘on the Paul Scholes’ from the edge of the box, scoring from open play rather than padding out their stats with penalties.<\/p>\n

So, who have been the most effective goalscoring midfielders from open play in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues so far this season? We’ve ranked the top 10 by minutes per goal, with a minimum of five league goals scored.<\/p>\n

10. Sergio Arribas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Almeria
\nMinutes per open-play goal: <\/strong>284
\nTotal open-play goals: <\/strong>6<\/p>\n

Almeria have stunk the place out in La Liga this season, failing to win any of their 24 games so far, taking just seven points and scoring only 22 goals. Almost a third of those goals have been scored by Sergio Arribas, who sits two clear of any other Almeria player on six, all of them coming from open play.<\/p>\n

When (rather than if) Almeria’s relegation is confirmed, nobody will be blaming Arribas, who has tried his level best to put some pride into their miserable season.<\/p>\n

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    9. Viktor Tsygankov<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Girona
    \nMinutes per open-play goal: <\/strong>276
    \nTotal open-play goals: <\/strong>5<\/p>\n

    In his second season in LaLiga after joining Girona from Dynamo Kiev, Viktor Tsygankov has set a new personal best for goals in a single league campaign. The 26-year-old has found the back of the net five times so far in 2023\/24, with all five goals coming from open play and four of them either being the opening goal of the game, the equaliser or a go-ahead strike.<\/p>\n

    8. Marcos Llorente\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Atletico Madrid
    \nMinutes per open-play goal: <\/strong>274
    \nTotal open-play goals: <\/strong>5<\/p>\n

    Diego Simeone has found himself the ultimate utility player, with Marco Llorente playing centre-midfield for most of the season, but also filling in a right wing-back and even in the role behind the striker in Alvaro Morata’s absence. With two goals in his previous match against Las Palmas, playing in a more advanced role, he has now scored five times from open-play in La Liga this season, becoming the fifth Atleti player to score 5+ league goals so far this campaign.<\/p>\n

    7. Bernardo Silva<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Manchester City
    \nMinutes per open-play goal: <\/strong>272
    \nTotal open-play goals: <\/strong>6<\/p>\n

    For a long time, Bernardo Silva hasn’t really been given the credit he deserves. Yes, we all know just how important his work rate and determination are to Manchester City’s success. But it’s only recently that his sheer footballing ability has been recognised. That includes goalscoring, with the Portugal international scoring six open-play goals in the Premier League so far this season at a rate of one every 272 minutes.<\/p>\n

    Only Erling Haaland (17), Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden (both 8) have scored more Premier League goals for Man City than Silva so far this season.<\/p>\n

    6. Andrea Colpani<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Monza
    \nMinutes per open-play goal: <\/strong>260
    \nTotal open-play goals:\u00a0<\/strong>7<\/p>\n

    For the second season in a row since their promotion, Monza are enjoying a very solid campaign in Serie A, currently sitting 11th in the table and 13 points clear of the relegation zone. That is in no small part thanks to the form of Andrea Colpani, who has seven goals (all from open play) to his name so far. Even though only one of those goals has come in his last 12 appearances, it’s still enough to leave the 24-year-old three goals clear of any other Monza player this season.<\/p>\n

    5. Takumi Minamino<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Monaco
    \nMinutes per open-play goal:\u00a0<\/strong>258
    \nTotal open-play goals:\u00a0<\/strong>5<\/p>\n

    Just making it into the top five is former Liverpool man Takumi Minamino. Impressively, Minamino also matches his five goals with five assists to help Monaco sit third in Ligue 1, just a point behind Nice in second. The Japan international’s quality has never been in doubt, he just needed to find the right place to thrive and a new role playing mainly in more central areas seems to have done him the world of good.<\/p>\n

    4. Scott McTominay<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Club:\u00a0<\/strong>Manchester United
    \nMinutes per open-play goal:\u00a0<\/strong>250
    \nTotal open-play goals:\u00a0<\/strong>5<\/p>\n

    There hasn’t been much to get excited about as a Manchester United so far this season, but you can be sure things would be\u00a0much\u00a0<\/em>worse without the unexpected form of Scott McTominay. The Scottish midfielder has often been linked with a move away from Old Trafford but has ended up turning himself into one of Erik ten Hag’s key players, scoring seven goals in the Premier League alone, five of which have come from open play.<\/p>\n

    McTominay has performed similar heroics to help Scotland qualify for the European Championships, so maybe this is his route to becoming a name taken seriously among the elite?<\/p>\n

    \n

    Scott McTominay is Manchester United's newest supersub. ?<\/p>\n

    His last three appearances:<\/p>\n

    vs. Wolves
    \u25ce 73' Comes on
    \u25c9 75' Scores <\/p>\n

    vs. West Ham
    \u25ce 64' Comes on
    \u25c9 84' Assists <\/p>\n

    vs. Aston Villa
    \u25ce 73' Comes on
    \u25c9 86' Scores <\/p>\n

    No player has scored more goals after the 85th minute\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/D16jms9eOq<\/a><\/p>\n

    — Squawka (@Squawka) February 11, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n