Playmakers that should be on Premier League radars: Part I - Big budgets
Finding value in the January transfer window is seen as a near impossibility in the modern game, but there are plenty of players out there whose impressive performances often go unnoticed.
Kicking off our series assessing players that may represent an interesting option to clubs with ranging budgets this month, we've picked out undervalued playmakers that would be suited to the wealthier Premier League buyers.
Alright, so 50m euros isn't cheap and would rule out 95 per cent of clubs in Europe's major leagues but Hakim Ziyech's apparent asking price shouldn't be too much of a deterrent to top clubs in need of creativity within their ranks. The 26-year-old has been linked to a raft of Premier League clubs in the recent past and subsequently saw his release clause removed from a renegotiated contract at Ajax.
Nevertheless, the Moroccan could yet be available this month and his statistics are nothing short of remarkable. Ziyech has 12 assists to his name already in the Eredivisie and has now reached double figures in that regard in each of the last six seasons in Holland. Having proven more than capable of impressing against the very best in the Champions League too, an apparent reluctance from suitors to take the plunge on the playmaker is one of the game's great mysteries at present.
The Spaniard has been linked relatively sparingly to some of Europe's elite clubs over the past year or so but it's high time Luis Alberto received the credit he deserves. A familiar name to Liverpool fans after an unsuccessful stint with the Merseysiders, the midfielder enjoyed loan spells back in his homeland with Malaga and Deportivo before making a £6m move to Lazio in 2016.
The Serie A title hopefuls would probably tag a zero to that six when valuing their playmaker now. Indeed, while teammate Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has often stolen the gossip column inches from the Roman outfit, there's no doubt Alberto has been the driving force behind a genuine bid for Serie A glory. After a drop off last season from a hugely impressive 2017/18 campaign, the 27-year-old has been back to his best and already racked up 11 assists in 16 league appearances, averaging the most key passes per 90 in Italy (3.2) and over two per game from open play.
Not far behind the aforementioned Alberto in chance creation metrics in Serie A, Lorenzo Pellegrini is the younger model across the capital and improving year-on-year. He's excelled given the responsibility of the number ten role at Roma this season, having previously been utilised as more of an eight upon his return from a spell at Sassuolo in 2017.
In fact, the 23-year-old has eight assists from 11 starts across Serie A and the Europa League when fielded in that position and his figures for key passes per 90 minutes have increased steadily. Averaging an impressive 2.2 from a deeper role back in 2017/18, that figure rose to 2.9 last season and is up at three per 90 this, whilst he's also completing more dribbles at a greater success rate. If there is one criticism it would the Italy international's goal return, which has actually waned each season since his last at Sassuolo, but in terms of setting up teammates he's a big and, crucically, improving talent.
