BEST MIDFIELDERS OF THE SEASON
The beating heart of Napoli's midfield, who shone more than anyone else, was Scott Mctominay, a true standout midfielder and the 2024/25 Serie A Player of the Year. The Scotsman arriving from Manchester overwhelmed all expectations by becoming the very image of Napoli’s title triumph. With his athletic power, ability to time runs to perfection and mental solidity, McTominay always turned up in big matches. His braces against Torino and Empoli, his winning goal in Monza, his two assists against Genoa and his opener against Cagliari are memories that will never desert his fans. With twelve goals and fours assists, he is this year’s highest-scoring midfielder and the first midfielder in De Laurentiis’ era to reach double figures in their debut season. He is also the player to have broken the deadlock the most times (eight), and he is the only midfielder to have scored five goals both home and away. Another impressive stat that shows how great a season he had is his difference between goals scored and xG, with the best record of any midfielder (+4.6), proving that his clinical finishing is simply off the scale. He is a real force of nature who raised the bar of a team that got back to the very top, partially thanks to his great leadership.
After getting a taste for Italian football in his first season, Tijjani Reijnders really found his feet with AC Milan, becoming a determined and complete midfielder. The Dutchman stood out as a real motor of the Rossoneri midfield, able to combine both aesthetic and solid qualities. Ten goals without penalties put him right up there in terms of AC Milan central midfielders: in the three-point-per-win wea, only Franck Kessié has a better record as a Rossoneri with 13 in the 2020/21 season (Antonio Nocerino also got ten in 2011/12). Reijnders could score in all ways, right foot, left foot, head, in or out the box, racking up ten goals and winning the 2024/25 Serie A Best Midfielder award.
In his second season in Italy, Christian Pulisic proved to be AC Milan’s technician, becoming the best midfielder in terms of total goal contributions (20) for the second year in a row. The American proved his worth with eleven goals and nine assists this season, making himself one of the most incisive and creative players in the league, with 69 chances created (a record this season). He is the first AC Milan player since Luciano Chiarugi (1972-74), to get more than ten goals in his first two Serie A seasons. It is a milestone that shows his ability to adapt, create and lead from the front. “Captain America” has proved he is more than a winger: he is a role model, a creative option and a technical leader ready to guide the new Rossoneri force with charisma and personality.
As one of the three players nominated for Serie A player of the season, Nicolò Barella kept up his high level of performance this year: three goals, six assists and 55 chances created (the third best record of any midfielder) are numbers that only half tell the story of the Sardinian’s impact within the Inter set up. He is dynamic, everywhere on the pitch, and a guaranteed performer, including at international level.
IThe best U23 player of the 2024/25 Serie A Season was Nico Paz, an absolute revelation this year. In his first proper senior season, the former Real Madrid man enchanted Como fans and football lovers: six goals and eight assists, first in terms of successful dribbles (69), second for overall shot involvement (164) and total shots (110). He is a pure talent, and the youngest player in the league with five goals and assists, as well as the youngest player to provide an assist in Europe’s top five leagues, behind Lamine Yamal and João Neves. Paz has shown fantastic vision and technical brilliance, with impressive efficiency for a 2004-born player, with his footballing career only just beginning.
With the same number of goal contributions as Reijnders and Paz (14), Mattia Zacagni showed his importance in the Lazio midfield with eight goals and six assists, directly involved in winning ten points for his team. He is the second best centre-midfielder in terms of successful dribbles and key passes (56), bringing quality and unpredictability to the Biancocelesti. For Fiorentina, Rolando Mandragora had the most prolific Serie A season of his career (four goals and three assists). However overall, he was great in all competitions, with nine goals in total, only behind Moise Kean for La Viola. These are important numbers considering that the last Fiorentina midfielder to score more in a single season was Jordan Veretout (10 in the 2017/18 season). But being a great midfielder isn’t all about goals. It is a role that requires hard work and support, and many players stood out for their defensive quality and tactical intelligence. Above all Morten Frendrup, who, for the second year running, was the leader for tackles won (61) and third for ball recoveries (184). Genoa’s Dane is a true midfield operator and a key point of balance in the centre of the team. Just behind him are Rovella (50 tackles won), Locatelli (49) and De Roon (48), silent yet imperative pillars of their teams.
Another worthy mention is Éderson, who was a shining star in Atalanta’s extraordinary season. As well as 186 ball recoveries (second only to Verona’s Ondrej Duda on 188), La Dea’s Brazilian was the midfielder involved in the most moves that ended in goals (16), proving his ability to not only break up play, but to push the team forward. Guendouzi also reached a great level this season: the Frenchman was the best in Serie A in terms of ball-carrying progressions (678) and distance covered in possession of the ball (7527 metres), beating players like Reijnders and Rovella. As directors and middlemen, all of these players have managed to turn “dirty work” into a sort of silent leadership. (Foto Getty Images)