Lewis Ferguson

Key strength: Work rate

Box-to-box midfielder

While Aston Villa's 3rd place standing in the table marks them as genuine title contenders, their success owes as much to the unsung heroes as it does to their headline-makers. Lewis Ferguson, the 26-year-old Scottish midfielder, embodies this perfectly. With 28 appearances and 1,827 minutes this season, Ferguson has become Unai Emery's trusted lieutenant in the engine room despite fierce competition from €70m-rated Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara, and Lamare Bogarde. His single goal and zero assists tell only half the story. Ferguson is the glue that binds Villa's dynamic system together—a tireless box-to-box operator whose work rate and defensive discipline allow the team's attacking stars to flourish. In a league obsessed with goal contributions, Ferguson's €20 million valuation speaks volumes about modern football's appreciation for the selfless destroyer who does the dirty work. As Villa chase their first league title since 1981 and a return to Champions League football, Ferguson represents the quiet steel and determination that transforms good teams into great ones.