The top 50 players in Europe - Man City target Gnabry finishes above Mahrez from 15-11

Depending on how you view it, the next five in our countdown to the best player in Europe are either elite or unlucky to miss out on the top 10. Or maybe both. Having kicked off from 20th place on Monday, it's time to run the rule over those ranked 15 to 11 in Europe's top five leagues.

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago dropped 10 places from his 2018/19 rank to 20th this season, while Timo Werner's position from last term has improved by 72 places. There have been plenty of big movers throughout the WhoScored top 50 and will continue to be some in the countdown to first place.

Once it was confirmed Leroy Sane would miss most of the season back in August, Riyad Mahrez would have naturally presumed he would directly benefit with increased game time compared to 2018/19. Wrong. Mahrez has only started 15 league games this season and made a further eight appearances from the bench. Despite featuring so heavily as a substitute, Mahrez still has a remarkably good WhoScored rating. The 29-year-old has still managed seven goals and eight assists, despite not being one of Pep Guardiola's trusted players. It means Mahrez averages a goal or an assist every 82.5 minutes of playing time. When factoring in 2.7 successful dribbles per 90, 2.9 key passes per 90 and 3.4 shots per 90, Mahrez has still be terrific when given the chance to play.

Last season was Mahrez's first at City and it was another frustrating one despite all the silverware. Nearly half of Mahrez's appearances came from the bench and he wasn't as productive on the pitch. He finished the 2018/19 campaign ranked the 304th best player in Europe's as a result. This season, on the pitch at least, he's been a huge positive for City.

Serge Gnabry has been a real success story for Bayern Munich this season and there have even been suggestions Pep Guardiola wants to sign the 24-year-old if Manchester City lose Leroy Sane to their German counterparts. Gnabry has struggled with injuries at times this season limiting him to just 19 league starts and four appearances from the bench. The Germany international has still managed a direct hand in 20 league goals in 2019/20, reaching the milestone for the first time in his career. With nine games left to play in the Bundesliga this season, the former Arsenal youngster should have no problem breaking his personal record for goals in a single campaign, either, having already equalled it. 

With 16 goals and assists to his name last season in what was his first for Bayern, 2018/19 was no disappointment for Gnabry. However, his WhoScored rating has improved significantly season-on-season. He was outside the top 100 come the end of last season but is now on the cusp of the top 10 this time around.

It terms of surprise packages in Europe this season, arguably none come bigger than Adama Traore. The Wolves winger has added end product to his terminator-like dribbling ability and is now valued at £70M by the Premier League outfit, having only signed in an £18M deal two years ago. This season is by far and away Traore's most impressive. Dribbles per 90 are naturally down due to the fact he is now a regular starter under Nuno but goals and assists are both up from last season to this from 1 to 4 and 1 to 7, respectively. Traore is still Europe's most prolific dribbler, completing more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues (145).

As a result of barely featuring for Wolves last season, Traore didn't even rank in the top 1000 players in Europe's top five leagues at the end of 2018/19. Now, however, Traore has not only gate-crashed the top 50 but sits in 13th place.  

Luis Alberto looked set for big things after a standout 2017/18 campaign but the following season was a big disappointment for the Spaniard. Alberto has, however, returned back to his best this season and is helping inspire Lazio to an unlikely title challenge. In fact, Alberto has the exact same WhoScored rating in Serie A this season as he managed two years ago. The 27-year-old has found his groove in front of goal and it has translated into four goals and 12 assists, an improvement from  nine goal involvements in total last season. Furthermore, a return of 3 key passes per game is bettered by only two players in Europe's top five leagues this season.

Unsurprisingly, given such improved statistics this season compared to last, it has made a big difference to Alberto's position in the list of best players in Europe's top five leagues. The former Liverpool midfielder's position has improved by 177 places!

Rounding off edition eight of our 10-part series on the WhoScored Top 50, just before the top 10, is another Lazio star: Ciro Immobile. The 30-year-old is in career-best form and must be disappointed Euro 2020 has been pushed back 12 months from a personal perspective. Immobile has netted 27 times from 26 league appearances and needs just three goals from Lazio's remaining 12 games to surpass his best ever haul in a single league campaign. The Italy international also leads the charts across Europe, having scored at least two more goals than any other player in the top five leagues.

The fact 10 of his league goals this season have come from the penalty spot is an indicator why Immobile is not higher up the list. Nevertheless, Immobile only ranked 307th in Europe's top five leagues last season compared to 11th this term.

Countdown catch-up: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-16