Stats show Haaland and Salah among most improved players in Europe

With another intrenational break upon us, now is the ideal time to take stock of the action so far. By now there is a decent sample size to gauge what players are set up for a big season. In this piece we are specifically looking at how player performances rate this season compared to last.

By using WhoScored.com ratings, we are able to see what players have improved the most or taken their game to a new level. Here we will run through the top-10 most improved players from 2020/21 to 2021/22. Players must have started at least 15 matches last season in Europe's top 5 leagues and made at least five appearances this term to qualify.

10) Lukas Hradecky (Bayer Leverkusen) +0.76 rating increase

Finland goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky won't look back at 2020/21 with fond memories. He had the third worst save success rate in the Bundesliga (62.2%) and only two players committed more errors directly leading to an opposition goal than the Leverkusen No.1 (2). However, this season has seen vast improvements. Saves per game have almost doubled from 2.2 to 3.9, while only one goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets in the Bundesliga (3 in 7 games). He has saved one penalty in that time and now has the second best save success rate in the division (79.4%). Furthermore, only two goalkeepers have won possession in the defensive third more times than Hradecky (19) in the Bundesliga this season.

9) Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)  +0.79 rating increase

Trent Alexander-Arnold still managed nine goal involvements in the Premier League last season but it was widely considered a very tough campaign for the 22-year-old. The England international did finish the season strongly but prior to that he struggled defensively and his radar was off more than usual. He posted the three highest totals for most possession lost in a Premier League game last season. With Liverpool's centre-backs back from injury, it's no surprise Alexander-Arnold is back to his best. With the like of Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk able to cover the youngster, he is currently averaging more key passes per game (4.2) than any other player in Europe's top 5 leagues this season.

8) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) +0.80 rating increase

Karim Benzema was arguably the best player in La Liga last season so the fact he makes this top-10 just highlights another level to his game. Benzema has remarkably scored or assisted 16 goals in eight league games this season, playing a direct hand in 72.7% of Madrid's haul. His contributions alone have been worth 10 points to Madrid, which is the difference between first and the lower reaches of the table. Benzema reached 30+ goal involvements in a single league campaign for the first time in his career last season and he is on course to shatter that this term on current pace.

7) Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) +0.83 rating increase

Finishing last season with 10 goal involvements in 29 league appearances was certainly an impressive breakthrough campaign for Florian Wirtz but the Bayer Leverkusen teenager has kicked on enormously already this season. Leverkusen have been able to quickly forget about former wonderkid Kai Havertz thanks to Wirtz, who looks set for an even better career than the now-Chelsea attacker. In six league appearances this season, the 18-year-old has remarkably played a direct hand in nine goals, already just one shy of last year's total. A return of 2.5 key passes per game ranks second of all players aged 21 or under in Europe's top 5 leagues this season.

6) Idrissa Gueye (Paris Saint-Germain) +0.83 rating increase

With Leo Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe up front, few expected Idrissa Gueye to emerge as a real goal threat for Paris Saint-Germain this season. Gueye has incredibly scored three goals in six league games this season, equalling his tally from his first two seasons at PSG combined (3 in 48 games). In fact, Gueye has scored more league goals for PSG this season than Neymar, Messi and Angel Di Maria combined (2). Moreover, tackles per game and interceptions per game are both up this season (3 & 1.3) compared to 2020/21 (2.3 & 0.7), while dribbles per game have doubled to 1.8 per game.

5) Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) +0.88 rating increase

This isn't to suggest in any way Erling Haaland had an underwhelming campaign last season but just to illustrate how good he has become. Haaland didn't get a move away from Borussia Dortmund  in the summer but that hasn't impacted his performances. Haaland has played a direct hand in 10 goals in his first five league appearances this season (seven goals, three assists). Haaland averaged a direct goal contribution goal every 73 minutes of playing time in the Bundesliga last season and that is currently down to one every 45 this season. Remarkably, he is only 21.

4) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) +1.00 rating increase

Liverpool's attack didn't quite click into gear as often as required last season but Mo Salah still finished the campaign with 22 league goals and five assists. However, his performances in between were below his usual high standards but he is putting that right this term. Salah is the top rated player in the Premier League this season and for good reason. Salah has played a direct hand in nine goals in seven league games and is currently on a five-game scoring streak. Salah heads into the international break off the back of a sublime solo goal against Manchester City.

3) Sandro Tonali (AC Milan) +1.05 rating increase

Big things were expected of Sandro Tonali at AC Milan last season following his move from Brescia but it's fair to say the Italy international struggled to make the transition. Limited to just 17 league starts from his 25 appearances, Tonali finished the campaign without a goal or an assist in his debut year for Milan. However, things have changed dramatically for the 21-year-old and he can consider himself unlucky not to be in the Italy squad for their UEFA Nations League semi-final. Tonali has started all seven games for Milan this season and already has two goals and one assist. The midfielder has quickly made himself the heartbeat of this Milan side, who should challenge for the title again this term.

2) Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) +1.09 rating increase

Eight games into the new season and this is already the most productive campaign of Vinicius Junior's career. Questions about his end product are being put to bed this term, with the Brazilian returning five goals and two assists for Real Madrid. Vinicius only managed six goal involvements in 35 league games last season, so he is already on course for a big season. Moreover, no player averages more dribbles per game than the 21-year-old in La Liga this season (3.1).

1) Dimitri Payet (Marseille) +1.11 rating increase

There will always be questions about Dimitri Payet's professionalism but so far this season he is letting his football do the talking. We didn't see the best of Payet last season despite a return of 17 goal involvements in Ligue 1, but he has started this campaign with five goals in as many games and one assist to go with that. Shots per game have more than doubled from last season (1.4) to 3 and he ranks only behind Trent Alexander-Arnold for most key passes per game in Europe's top 5 leagues (3.8). Neymar, Messi and Mbappe will always get all of the attention in France, but Payet has arguably been the best player in Ligue 1 this season, as reflected by our WhoScored ratings (8.03).