Paul Scholes names SURPRISING choice for best Premier League midfielder – snubbing Declan Rice who ‘takes too many touches’

Paul Scholes has named who believes is the Premier League’s best midfielder – and you may be surprised by his choice. 

There are few better equipped than the former Manchester United star to have their say on such a debate.

Scholes is regarded as one of the greatest to ever grace English football having scored 155 goals and provided 82 assists in 716 appearances for the Red Devils under Sir Alex Ferguson. He helped United lift the Premier League 11 times as well as the Champions League twice. 

But picking the Premier League’s current best midfielder is no easy feat.

There’s a host of talent flourishing in the top-flight, whether that be Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice of Arsenal or former Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. Not to mention Bruno Fernandes, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Eberechi Eze.

Yet for Scholes, none of the above pip one ‘brilliant’ star who has enjoyed an impressive start to this season.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, the 50-year-old said: ‘I still don’t class Moisés Caicedo as an all-round midfield player. He scored a great goal, and he was brilliant against Liverpool, and he got a little bit of stick for his performances last year – but in the Club World Cup he was brilliant.

‘I just prefer those controlling type midfielders, who play with a bit more style and can score goals a little bit more often than Caicedo does. It was a brilliant goal, but you wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t do it for another 18 months. He’s one of the very best at what he does which is breaking the play up – he’s brilliant at that.

‘Alexis Mac Allister was brilliant last year – he controlled a lot of what Liverpool did and they’re missing that this year.

‘Bruno Guimarães is brilliant, and I love Sandro Tonali at Newcastle as well – Tonali especially, he can run – he’s been brilliant. I’d probably choose Tonali as the Premier League’s best midfielder over Declan Rice. Tonali is better than Rice.

‘I really like Rice, don’t get me wrong, he’s got everything but there’s too many times where he takes too many touches of the ball. He tries to look a little bit more stylish than he needs to do. He’s got physical attributes, great at being box to box, and score goals – but he just doesn’t do it enough.’

Having risen through the Brescia academy and later captaining AC Milan at the age of just 22, Tonali joined the Magpies in 2023 for a fee of £55million. 

He however endured a turbulent start to life on Tyneside having been handed a 10-month ban that same year for betting violations. 

The Italian returned in the summer of 2024, and has been nothing short of a revelation for Eddie Howe’s side.

He made 45 appearances scoring six goals last season as Newcastle secured their return to the Champions League and has been an ever-present so far this campaign. Only last week he set up Nick Woltemade with a sweetly-struck volley during his side’s 4-0 victory at Union Saint-Gilloise. 

Speaking after the win, Howe was full of praise for Tonali. He told reporters: ‘His physical attributes stand out and he possesses a couple of gear changes we relied on on Wednesday.

‘Then you add in his technical ability and his tactical understanding, he is really a very good player.’ 

Tonali is also a regular for the Italian national team, netting three goals in 27 appearances for the Azzurri. 

He’s travelled to Italy this international break for his country’s World Cup Qualifiers against Estonia and Israel. 

The Italians, managed by former AC Milan star Gennaro Gattuso, currently sit second in their qualifying group, level on points with leaders France.