Soccer has become a lot more fluid than it used to be. Gone are the days when players were tied to a single position or a role. Modern soccer is all about versatility. Forwards cannot be content only with scoring goals, midfielders with providing assists, and full-backs with providing support. Goals must flow from everywhere, forcing the opposition to keep guessing right until the end.
Today, we will take a look at a bunch of top players who defined versatility in the final third in the 2023-24 season, scoring goals and claiming assists with equal proficiency. Here are the top seven players with 10+ goals and assists across the top five European leagues in the 2023-24 season.
#7 Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen
The only defender to feature on this list, Alejandro Grimaldo, operated as a left-wingback for Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso. The switch-up did the natural left-back a world of good, as he emerged as one of the most complete attackers in the Bundesliga. Grimaldo, 28, played 33 games in the 2023-24 Bundesliga season, scoring 10 times and providing 14 assists. Yes, his teammates covered a lot for him, but Grimaldo’s effectiveness as a flying fullback cannot be underplayed.
Grimaldo was one of the orchestrators behind Bayer Leverkusen’s historic Bundesliga campaign. Not only did they win their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2023-24, but they also finished without losing even a single game (28 wins & 6 draws). If they can manage to be even half as consistent next season, they will be in for another title run.
#6 Marcus Thuram – Inter Milan
Inter Milan were in a league of their own in Serie A in the 2023-24 season. The Nerazzurri finished the campaign with 94 points — a whopping 19 points clear of second-placed AC Milan. Throughout the campaign, Inter scored a league-best 89 times, with the majority of goals coming from the boot of Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martinez (24 goals).
Thanks to the Argentine, Marcus Thuram’s heroics went under the radar, but the 26-year-old was almost as impressive. Playing 35 games, Thuram scored 13 times and provided 13 assists, proving his mettle as an all-rounder. He also made his mark in the UEFA Champions League, scoring once and providing an assist in eight games.
#5 Heung-min Son – Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur lost their talisman, Harry Kane, to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023. With the Englishman gone, Spurs needed someone with experience to lead the front line. Heung-min Son, who largely played second fiddle to Kane, answered the call, emerging as the team’s key man in the final third. The South Korean superstar played 35 Premier League matches in 2023-24, scoring 17 times and claiming 10 assists.
However, despite his heroics, Ange Postecoglou’s side could not finish inside the top four. They signed off in fifth place, losing out the fourth spot to Aston Villa by only a couple of points.
#4 Deniz Undav – VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart enjoyed a stunning Bundesliga campaign in 2023-24, finishing second with 73 points — one point ahead of Bayern Munich. The entire team played sensational soccer throughout the campaign to ensure a comfortable qualification to the UEFA Champions League, and Deniz Undav was the cherry on top. The 27-year-old center-forward was not only efficient in front of goal, but he also never failed to look up and see if one of his teammates was in a better position. And when they were, Undav had the quality to find them with a perfectly weighted layoff.
Over the course of the 2023-24 Bundesliga campaign, Undav played 30 matches, scoring 18 times and providing 10 assists. He also chipped in with a goal in the DFB Pokal (3 games).
#3 Mohamed Salah – Liverpool
Liverpool hero Mohamed Salah did not have the best of campaigns. The Egypt international started brightly, but an injury while representing his country in the 2023 AFCON derailed his campaign, robbing him of his clinicalness. Despite not being at his best, Salah finished the season with an admirable 18 goals and 10 assists in 32 games, emerging as Liverpool’s most effective forward.
The former Chelsea man could be on his way out of Liverpool this summer. According to reports, multiple Saudi Arabian clubs want to sign him and the Reds will green-light the move if they receive an offer upwards of $100 million.
#2 Ollie Watkins – Aston Villa
Aston Villa ace Ollie Watkins enjoyed his best-ever season in the Premier League in 2023-24. The 28-year-old England international was sensational not only at creating chances but also applying the finishing touch when the opportunities came knocking. In the 2023-24 English top-flight campaign, Watkins scored 19 times and provided 13 assists in 37 games, winning the Playmaker of the Year award.
Watkins’ heroics allowed Aston Villa to finish fourth in the Premier League rankings, pushing them into the UEFA Champions League group stage for the very first time.
#1 Cole Palmer – Chelsea
Chelsea finished sixth in the 2023-24 Premier League rankings. Their performance was not satisfactory by any means, but things could have been a lot worse had Cole Palmer not been at his sensational best throughout the campaign.
In his debut season in West London, the former Manchester City man scored an impressive 22 times and claimed 11 assists across 34 matches. He finished as the second-leading scorer and the second-leading assist provider behind Erling Haaland (27 goals) and Ollie Watkins (13 assists), respectively. Palmer performed decently in cup competitions, as well, scoring thrice and providing four assists in 12 games across the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
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