Mohamed Salah’s departure from Liverpool at the end of this season will likely bring an end to one of the finest ever Premier League careers.
But where does he rank among the all-time greats in the division? Here, Telegraph Sport presents our top 10.
10. Frank Lampard (West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester City)
Appearances: 609 Goals: 177 Assists: 102
The highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history and a central figure in three title-winning campaigns with Chelsea. Lampard’s consistency was extraordinary and he was a constant goal-threat throughout his time at the club. His return of 22 league goals in 36 games in 2009-10 was preposterous for a central midfield player.
9. Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest, Manchester United)
Appearances: 366 Goals: 39 Assists: 33
Keane’s influence on United, and the wider Premier League, cannot be illustrated with statistics such as goals and assists. Can any player in the league’s history match Keane for leadership, competitiveness and sheer ferociousness on the pitch? Keane was not liked by everyone but he was certainly respected. Alongside his qualities as a leader, he was also a fabulous all-round central midfielder.
8. Mohamed Salah (Chelsea, Liverpool)
Appearances: 323 Goals: 191 Assists: 93
Salah will be remembered mostly for the two titles he helped to bring to Liverpool, but also for his remarkable consistency. He reached double figures for Premier League goals for eight consecutive seasons, and might still make it nine before he leaves at the end of this season. Rapid and relentless, Salah was unquestionably the key figure in Liverpool’s success in 2024-25. A three-time PFA Player of the Year.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Appearances: 236 Goals: 103 Assists: 37
For all its revenues and global fame, the Premier League has one unusual flaw: on very few occasions has it housed the undisputed best footballer on the planet. One player who unquestionably ticked that box was Ronaldo, who between 2006 and 2009 was the most extraordinary attacking force in world football. His 2007-08 campaign with United remains one of the best individual seasons of any player in English football history.
6. Wayne Rooney (Everton, Manchester United)
Appearances: 491 Goals: 208 Assists: 103
Rooney was relentlessly watchable, from the start of his career to the end, and is a defining figure in Premier League history. His was a captivating blend of otherworldly talent with real-world flaws. He won five league titles with United, is third on the all-time scoring list and fourth on the all-time assist list.
5. Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea, Manchester City)
Appearances: 288 Goals: 72 Assists: 119
De Bruyne was consistently the best player in the team that dominated the Premier League like no other. The Belgian powered City to six titles between 2017 and 2024 and was the most important figure as they became the first side to win the league four times in a row. At his best, De Bruyne was unstoppable: relentless running, fabulous passing, thunderous shooting. Only Giggs has created more goals in the division.
4. Eric Cantona (Leeds United, Manchester United)
Appearances: 156 Goals: 70 Assists: 56
There are plenty of players with more league titles and goals than Cantona, but very few (perhaps only Henry?) played such a fundamental role in making the Premier League what it is today. A transformational figure in English football, Cantona played with a personality and style that elevated the entire division. The controversies helped, too.
3. Alan Shearer (Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United)
Appearances: 441 Goals: 260 Assists: 64
The greatest goalscorer in the competition’s history and a title winner with Blackburn Rovers. Shearer struck more than 20 goals in seven separate Premier League campaigns, winning three Golden Boots and twice being named the PFA Player of the Year. As Sir Alex Ferguson once said of Shearer, he hit the ball “as if he meant to kill it”.
2. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Appearances: 632 Goals: 109 Assists: 162
Giggs won the Premier League 13 times, at least two more than any other player in the competition’s history. That fact alone speaks volumes of his quality and longevity. His first league title was won in 1993, and his last was in 2013. Giggs evolved and adapted over the years, remaining important to Manchester United despite the many changes to the game.
1. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Appearances: 258 Goals: 175 Assists: 74
The speed, the style, the swagger. Henry was the league’s most electrifying and magnetic player during his peak years, scoring all manner of goals and driving Arsenal towards two Premier League titles. As the league became increasingly interesting to international audiences, Henry was the face of the brand. The Frenchman won the Golden Boot four times.
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