The top 50 players in Europe - Part II: Maddison and Rashford place from 41-45

As we continue our countdown, kicked off yesterday, of our 50 highest rated players in Europe's top five leagues, there are some big names filling spots 41-45.

Along with two England internationals there is a golden boot front runner from France and a rapidly developing midfielder that Newcastle fans will be gutted to have let go...

A back injury has prevented Marcus Rashford from featuring in a league match since a man of the match display in Manchester United's 4-0 win over Norwich in January, but even so; this season is already the most prolific of his career. The England international has 14 league goals to his name and has chipped in with an additional four assists as Rashford continues his development into one of England's finest all round forwards. Two successful dribbles and 1.1 key passes per game further accentuates his notable attacking output in what has been a coming of age campaign for the 22-year-old.

After what was an underwhelming season last time out, cluminating in a modest 6.95 rating, Rashford's progress is best highlighted by a huge 272-place jump in ranking from 2018/19.

Now back in a more familiar midfield position, Joshua Kimmich certainly hasn't disappointed in his more favoured role. He may not be as decisive in the final third as he was bombing on from right-back - four league assists is a modest return compared to a combined total of 23 over the previous two campaigns - yet his role task is to dictate the tempo alongside Thiago in the middle of the park, which he does with aplomb. The 25-year-old is averaging more passes per game (78.7) than any other Bundesliga midfielder this season and finding a teammate with 90.1% of said attempts.

Despite his impressive performances, however, Kimmich is the first player whose rating from last season (7.49) and subsequent ranking (20th) has dropped, down 24 places thus far.
 

Edging ahead of compatriots Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford into 43rd, James Maddison has been key to Leicester's pursuit of a Champions League return. Jaime Vardy may get the goals, yet it's Maddison who pulls the strings in the final third. Only Kevin De Bruyne (96) has made more key passes than the Foxes ace (75) in England's top tier this term, and his delivery over a dead ball is second to none. Indeed, 38 of those chances created have been from set-piece situations, no Premier League player has more. However, those key passes have translated to just three assists, with an additional six goals certainly helping to boost the 23-year-old's rating.
 
Having somewhat narrowly missed out on a place in the top 50 last season (85th) with a rating of 7.20 in his debut top-flight campaign, the Foxes star is up 42 places this time around.

Wissam Ben Yedder has enjoyed a fine return to France thus far, with no player netting more league goals than the Frenchman (18) in Ligue 1 this season. Monaco started the campaign abysmally but have turned their fortunes around in recent months, with their star striker's efforts pivotal to that resurgence prior to football's postponement. The 28-year-old has netted 40.9% of the teams 44 league goals this season, while five man of the match awards is among the better returns in France's top tier.

Climbing 36 places from his final season in LaLiga with Sevilla, Ben Yedder's rating has risen from 7.23 to 7.35 back in his homeland.

With a WhoScored rating of 7.36, the first LaLiga representative to make the top 50 is the final player in part II of this ten-part series. Mikel Merino is the shield that ensures the Real Sociedad backline is rarely troubled, as evidenced by 2.2 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game in LaLiga this season, with the former Newcastle man winning possession in the midfield third more times (119) than any other player in Spain's top tier this term. As dominant in the air as he has been on the ground, Merino's 5.3 aerial duels won per game is the fourth best in LaLiga this season to help him feature in this list.

Now a real candidate for an international call-up, Merino's development has been such that he has leapt a monumental 386 places following a rating of 6.88 last season.

Catch up on rankings: 46-50