Who is the most productive English no. 10 in the Premier League?

Cole Palmer, a man who failed to make Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad, and Morgan Rogers, a man who did, both made promising starts to the current campaign as Chelsea closed out the opening weekend of top-flight fixtures with a 3-2 success at Fulham.

Jude Bellingham’s incredible form at this summer’s global showpiece means that he is unlikely to be displaced from the Three Lions’ no. 10 role anytime soon, but just how effective have some of the other potential playmakers been in their Premier League careers to date?

EBERECHI EZE

For much of last term, Eberechi Eze struggled to establish himself in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI, though the fact that five of his seven top-flight goals came against Tottenham certainly endeared him to the Arsenal supporters.

Used to operating as a big fish in a small pond at Crystal Palace, the 28-year-old enjoyed his most productive Premier League season back in 2023/24, scoring or assisting once every 128.38 minutes for the Eagles:

This figure climbs to a respectable 173.61 minutes per goal involvement over the course of his career, but, when it comes to football betting predictions, be aware that Eze often weighs in with a total of around 15 goals and assists per season.

PHIL FODEN

Although Phil Foden is comfortable operating in a variety of different roles, it is widely acknowledged that he does his best work in central attacking areas, driving at defenders with the ball or unlocking stubborn rearguards with a clever pass.

The Stockport-born playmaker has been a constant presence in the Manchester City squad over the last decade or so, enjoying his most productive Premier League campaign back in 2023/24 as he found the net an impressive 19 times for Pep Guardiola’s charges:

Over the piece, the 26-year-old has been directly involved in excess of 100 top-flight goals, so he is always worthy of consideration in the anytime goalscorer market, particularly when you have established his position in the team ahead of some football in-play betting.

MORGAN GIBBS-WHITE

Morgan Gibbs-White’s career has come on leaps and bounds since he made the switch to the City Ground, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man displaying a level of consistency that separates him from the pack.

In fact, in his four completed top-flight seasons as a Nottingham Forest player, the talented 26-year-old has been directly involved in 17,17,18 and 19 goals, hitting the back of the net a staggering 15 times in a struggling side last term:

Although his minutes per goal involvement in the Premier League comes in at just over 180, this drops to around 170 when only considering time spent at his current club, whilst the fact that he has found the net in seven of his last 11 top-flight appearances means that any Premier League predictions tipping him to do so again are definitely worth considering.

JACK GREALISH

Jack Grealish’s career has hit the skids in recent seasons, though he has always remained popular with supporters thanks to his Gazza-esque dribbling ability and effervescent personality.

Interestingly, it was in his final top-flight campaign at Aston Villa in 2020/21 that the Birmingham-born star produced his best numbers, directly contributing to a goal once every 121.28 minutes:

This impressive form persuaded Manchester City to make their move, but, a decent showing in the treble-winning season of 2022/23 apart, most pundits and football tipsters alike will tell you that the soon-to-be 31-year-old has rarely hit the heights at the Etihad Stadium.

JAMES MADDISON

When it comes to conversations surrounding potential England no. 10’s, James Maddison is very much the forgotten man, though you can be sure that the confident 29-year-old will not have given up on his dreams of international stardom.

At his best, the former Leicester player can be nothing short of sensational, weighing in with 12 goals and 11 assists for the Foxes back in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, with that form helping to secure him a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar:

Injuries may have stifled his progress in recent seasons, but the Tottenham playmaker’s record of 56 goals and 58 assists across his top-flight career to date simply serves to highlight just what a dual threat he offers when you are looking to beat the bookies in the ‘Score or Assist’ market.

COLE PALMER

Much has been made of Chelsea’s transfer strategy since BlueCo took up ownership of the club, but the signing of Palmer from Manchester City for an initial £40m continues to look like an absolute snip in light of today’s football prices.

Having found playing time hard to come by under Pep Guardiola, the talented youngster took absolutely no time whatsoever to settle at Stamford Bridge, playing a direct role in 35 Premier League goals during his stunning debut campaign in 2023/24:

In fact, the 24-year-old was directly involved in a goal once every 74.77 minutes that season, which represents an incredible return, with that figure rising to just once every 109.54 minutes over his entire top-flight career.

MORGAN ROGERS

An undoubted favourite of Tuchel’s at international level, Rogers has passed up the chance to play Champions League football with Aston Villa in order to bring his direct ball-carrying abilities to Stamford Bridge.

Costing an eye-watering £117m, the 24-year-old will look to build upon a highly successful spell at Villa Park, with his minutes per goal involvement of 163.95 during the 2024/25 Premier League season showing just what he is capable of:

That campaign was far from being a flash in the pan either, as his record over his entire top-flight career, albeit a relatively brief one, currently stands at 169.33 minutes per goal involvement, so it comes as no surprise to see him being talked up on football prediction sites.

SUMMARY

Each of these individuals offers a very different skill set, from the clever passes of Maddison to the direct running of Rogers, though they are all more than capable of bringing something quite special to the table at international level.

Making direct comparisons can be difficult given the variety of teams that these seven players have represented in the top-flight, though the decision to omit both Palmer and Foden from the 2026 World Cup squad does look even more staggering based upon their career numbers:

Predicting Tuchel’s next move can be difficult at the best of times, but the German certainly has a wonderful pool of creative talent to choose from when it comes to building a squad capable of winning Euro 2028 on home soil.

*data correct as of 24/08/26*