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Chelsea recently completed a bumper €115m deal to bring back their star striker, Romelu Lukaku, from Inter in Serie A. The Belgian was one of the most industrious frontmen last season, combining superbly with Lautaro Martinez to produce 30 goals and 10 assists. Despite being a full-fledged striker, Lukaku served as one of the major creative forces behind a resurgent Inter side.
This begs the question: what exactly is the role of a striker? Expectedly, their immediate task would be to sniff out potential spaces to run into and poach a goal out of nowhere. However, the forward position has experienced a huge revamping, ever since the philosophy of 'Total Football' was introduced by Johan Cruyff.
Strikers and their association with the No.10 mantle
A traditional number 10 player is automatically assigned the role of making the clock tick. His job seems to be pretty straightforward when put into words but proves to be equally demanding in actuality. The said footballer is responsible for creating chances, laying out balls for the strikers to score, and dictate play in the opposition's box. Easier said than done, indeed.
In the past, this post has usually been affiliated with attacking midfielders, who possess an unparalleled creative prowess. However, in modern times, a special group of strikers have evolved to assume the role for themselves. Most recently, the likes of Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney have earned a reputation for being serial providers for their teams, directly contributing to the proceedings of an attack.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five current strikers who can effortlessly operate as playmakers for their clubs:
Note: All stats are as mentioned on Squawka.com
#5 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Kicking us off in fifth place is Real Madrid's talisman, Karim Benzema. The veteran striker has been a Madridista ever since he swapped Parc Olympique Lyonnais for the Bernabeu in 2009. With 561 appearances to his name, Benzema has established himself as a certified Los Blancos legend.
Following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in 2018, many expected Real Madrid to fork out insurmountable amounts of cash to replace their star man. Instead, Florentino Perez chose to trust the pre-existing group of talents he had assembled over the years. While the Ronaldo-void remains unfulfilled, his exit transformed Benzema into a complete forward.
The French striker has been exceptional since becoming Real Madrid's main man, keeping his team on top in times of turmoil. In addition to his excellent goal tally, Benzema has also assumed the role of a creator.
He has recorded an astonishing 31 assists since 2018 and already has two in the first month of the current season. With 231 forward passes and 50 successful lay-offs in addition to his 23 goals in the previous league season, Benzema has single-handedly kept Madrid afloat.
#4 Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona)
Antoine Griezmann is a top player, regardless of the constant berating that the media bestows upon him. It is an undeniable fact that the Frenchman has failed to justify the astronomical €120m fee that Barcelona paid to secure his services. Even so, Griezmann has been heavily underrated with respect to his performances, especially in 2021.
Griezmann and the aforementioned Benzema were two of the few shining lights in an otherwise disappointing showing by France at Euro 2020. The 30-year-old striker brought his resurgent form to the coveted tournament but failed to take his side past the round-of-16 stage.
As of June 2021, Griezmann had recorded an impressive total of 30 goal involvements for both club and country. His contributions ranked him eighth amongst the most effective group of players in Europe, ahead of the likes of Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku.
Furthermore, the French international laid out 42 chances in La Liga for his teammates last season, making him one of the best orchestrators in Spain.
Also read: 5 records Lionel Messi can achieve at PSG
#3 Josip Ilicic (Atalanta)
A quintessential late-bloomer, Josip Ilicic has recently attained the status of an elite striker. Following successive underwhelming spells with Palermo and Fiorentina, the Slovenian was snapped up by Atalanta in 2017, for a nominal fee of €5.5m.
At the Gewiss Stadium, Ilicic proved to be a player reborn as the veteran striker hit the ground running in no time. Primarily deployed on the right flank during his Palermo days, Gian Piero Gasperini chose to station Ilicic in a more central position. In this newly found system, the 33-year-old striker flourished thoroughly, laying out scoring opportunities on a consistent basis.
Nicknamed Il Professore due to his style of play and ability to think on the feet, Ilicic has taken his game to new heights in the past two seasons. Despite playing just 1,530 Serie A minutes last season, he managed to directly contribute to 15 goals in the league.
Moreover, the Slovenian international laid out a whopping 61 chances for his teammates in the same season. With his superior technical abilities, Ilicic is easily one of the best creative strikers of the present time.
#2 Harry Kane (Tottenham)
The first entry on the list who dons the number 10 in reality, Harry Kane is a striker that can walk into the first team of any top European team. In fact, the Englishman has been a highly sought-after target for multiple Premier League teams this summer. Manchester City reportedly have had two bids, in excess of the €100m mark, rejected by Tottenham Hotspur.
From the looks of it, Kane will be spending the 2021-22 season at Spurs, marking his 17th year with the club. After a chaotic managerial conundrum, Tottenham fans would welcome any sort of stability with open arms. As an added bonus, the footballing world will get to see at least one more year of the ever-brilliant Kane-Son duo.
The 28-year-old striker shined in an otherwise lackluster Mourinho side, scoring 23 times and providing a league-best 14 assists en route to his third Premier League Golden Boot. Mourinho's conservative approach allowed Kane to operate in a much deeper role and, as a result, bolstered his creative output.
Subsequently, Kane managed to produce 44 successful layoffs in 35 league games. Notably, the Spurs captain also created 49 chances for his teammates and initiated 291 forward passes in the league last season.
Despite his obvious talents, the English striker is yet to win any major silverware in his professional career.
#1 Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo)
Pipping Kane for first place is veteran striker Iago Aspas. The Spaniard has arguably had the most impact at a club amongst all the players on this list. A Celta Vigo player through and through, Aspas departed the club in 2013 in search of greater opportunities. However, he failed miserably during his two years at Liverpool and was forced to make an abrupt homecoming to Spain.
Following a Europa League-winning season with Sevilla, the prodigal striker returned to his boyhood club for a cut-price rate of €5.3m. At 28, Aspas rediscovered his form and ignited the Estadio Municipal de Balaídos from the moment of his landing. Since 2015, the prolific striker has racked up a total of 116 goals and 42 assists across all competitions for the Sky Blues.
In all times of crisis, Aspas has acted as the knight in shining armor for his club, saving them from relegation on multiple occasions. Even in what could be considered an off-colour 2020-21 season, the Spaniard managed to notch up 14 goals and 15 assists in La Liga.
He even created a record 62 chances among the top strikers in Europe's best leagues, along with nine attempted through balls. With an additional 43 successful layoffs last season, Aspas has truly proven he can be an efficient playmaker despite playing as a striker for his club.
Also read: 5 full-backs with the best crossing ability in the world right now
