Nicolas Madsen

Madsen plays a patient, controlling brand of central midfield. He uses his height and positioning to shield the back line, then picks a simple, accurate pass rather than forcing something more ambitious than the situation requires. That reliability took time to build, developing gradually through Danish, Dutch and Belgian football before a move to English football finally gave him a stage big enough to match the trust his club had already placed in him. Being voted his own club's player of the year said plenty about how highly teammates rate the less glamorous side of midfield play.

The question worth asking about a controlling midfielder like this is whether he can still influence matches once a game turns chaotic. Simply keeping possession stops being enough on its own at that point. His steady development across several leagues suggests a player who adapts rather than one who gets left behind.