Chelsea once nearly signed the player with more assists in 2024 than Salah

It’s easy to focus on goals when assessing the top players in the modern game, but which individuals have the most assists across Europe in 2024?

Another 12 months of fascinating football is almost over, with plenty of drama taking place domestically, in Europe and on the international stage.

Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has scored the most goals in Europe in 2024 to date, but who have been the leading assist-makers across Europe’s top divisions? Here are the top 16…

16

Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP)

18 assists

Having comfortably become Europe’s top goalscorer across 2024, it has been a year that has seen Viktor Gyokeres’ stock rise further, potentially ahead of a big-money move away from Sporting at the end of the season.

However, the Swede is far from just a goalscorer, as his assist tally of 18 highlights, and he has the potential to be one of the best attacking players in world football for the next four or five years.

15

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

18 assists

One of the most prodigiously gifted young footballers on the planet, Lamine Yamal’s rise this year has been remarkable, with the 17-year-old excelling for Barcelona and Spain.

While the winger has scored some great goals in the past 12 months, his passing has also stood out, not least his brilliance with the outside of his gifted left foot. 18 assists in 47 appearances is an excellent return for any attacking player, let alone one so young.

14

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

18 assists

Bruno Fernandes has his critics at times, perhaps due to losing possession too often, but the risk he takes with the ball allows him to create plenty of chances, too.

For that reason, it’s no huge surprise to see the Manchester United captain on this list, with the Portuguese assisting on 18 occasions and showing further signs of improvement under new manager Ruben Amorim.

13

Joel Bopesu (Zalgiris)

18 assists

Zalgiris defender Joel Bopesu finished joint-top of the Lithuanian league’s assists charts, with his exploits in the national cup and this year’s Conference League qualifiers putting him on a par with Europe’s best.

A champion with Zalgiris, who won the annual championship which finished in November, Bopesu notched 14 in the league campaign alone, providing one of the continent’s most potent threats from left-back.

12

Oscar Gloukh (RB Salzburg)

18 assists

Oscar Gloukh continues to stand out as one of the most influential creative forces in the Austrian Bundesliga, providing plenty of quality in attacking areas for RB Salzburg.

The talented 20-year-old also has 18 assists to his name in 2024, averaging 0.45 per match, which is an impressive ratio.

11

Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt)

18 assists

Omar Marmoush has been linked with plenty of top clubs in recent months, and given the level of his performances for Eintracht Frankfurt, it’s not difficult to see why he is such a wanted man.

The Egyptian is yet another with 18 assists in total, with seven of those coming in 14 Bundesliga appearances this season, and he is also a goalscoring machine for good measure, finding the net 13 times in the league in 2024/25 to date.

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10

Vladimir Ambros (Petrocub)

18 assists

Squeezing into 2024’s top assists chart is Petrocub forward Vladimir Ambros, whose assist in the final round of the Conference League’s league phase helped break Hearts’ hearts as both clubs crashed out.

Ambros had a particularly impressive end to the previous campaign, grabbing six league assists and five more in the Moldovan Cup as Petrocub secured a domestic double.

9

Jorginho (FC Differdange 03)

18 assists

Like Marmoush, Jorginho is another player who has been ruthless in front of goal this year, but the creative side of his game has also shone through, ensuring he is alongside some illustrious company in the assist stakes.

The Differdange 03 forward has bagged 18 assists in 2024 so far, coming from a total of 35 appearances for the Luxembourg-based side.

8

Zlatko Tripic (Viking)

18 assists

Zlatko Tripic is one of the lesser-known players on this list, but he has enjoyed a superb 2024 in his own right, catching the eye for Norwegian outfit Viking.

A tally of 18 assists in just 29 games is better than those already mentioned, at a superb ratio of one every 0.62 matches. Judging by the video above, the past year has been no flash in the pan – and at 32 years of age, he appears to be ageing like a fine wine.

7

Trincao (Sporting CP)

19 assists

Gyokeres may have starred for Sporting, both in a scoring and creative sense, but his teammate Trincao pips him in the latter category.

The 24-year-old also has 19 assists, with his quality from out wide playing a big part in his side’s success over the past 12 months or so as Sporting strolled to domestic glory in 2023/24.

6

Dusan Tadic (Fenerbahce)

19 assists

At 36, Dusan Tadic may not quite be the force he once was during his Ajax days, and it’s fair to say that he is still going strong as the creative hub of his Fenerbahce side.

The Serbian has 6 assists in 13 Turkish Super Lig starts this season, suggesting his influence for the Turkish giants is showing no sign of fading any time soon.

5

Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

19 assists

Vinicius Junior’s status as one of the best players in the world is undeniable, with some feeling he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or earlier this year.

An attacking sensation who can score and create at will from his left-sided role, the Brazilian superstar is closing in on 20 assists as the year draws to a close, with 2024 seeing his Real Madrid side win yet another Champions League crown.

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4

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

19 assists

Still one of the most devastating forwards in world football, Mohamed Salah has had another stunning year, particularly since August, where his performances have helped inspire Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table.

While the Egyptian icon is renowned mostly for his relentlessness in front of goal, the creative side of his game is also world-class, with 9 assists already recorded in 15 league outings this season.

3

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

19 assists

The performances of Kevin De Bruyne may have be lacking at Manchester City recently, with signs of him being past his absolute peak, but the fact that he makes the cut sums up his brilliance.

The Belgian has recorded 19 assists in 2024, and if Pep Guardiola’s side are to have any chance of getting back into the Premier League race, he will have to return to his very best.

2

Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)

20 assists

The only player to register exactly 20 assists across Europe in 2024 is Alejandro Grimaldo, who was a key man during a memorable year for Bayer Leverkusen, helping them to Bundesliga title glory.

The 29-year-old has provided endless quality from his left wing-back role for Xabi Alonso’s side, producing a level of creative quality that his manager would have been proud of during his playing days.

1

Dries Mertens (Galatasaray)

26 assists

Incredibly, 37-year-old Dries Mertens has registered the most assists in Europe throughout 2024, chipping in with a stunning total of 26.

The Belgian, who once nearly signed for Chelsea back in 2020, has defied time and continued to be a fantastic attacking player at Galatasaray, with a total of eight assists arriving in the Super Lig and Europa League so far this season.

Few would have expected him to be top of the list at the beginning of the year.