In the 2024–25 Ligue 1 season, top 5 highest assist providers Ligue 1 2025 were the creative engines who turned chances into goals. CanLinkCup will take you through who pulled the strings, how many assists they made, and what made them stand out in a fierce league.
Who led the assists chart
By the end of the season:
- Rayan Cherki (Lyon) — 11 assists
- Gaëtan Perrin (Auxerre) — 11 assists orld Football)
- Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco) — 10 assists
- Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain) — 10 assists
- Moses Simon (Nantes) — 10 assists
These five players were the highest providers of assists in Ligue 1 in the 2024-25 season. There were also notable close finishes by João Neves, Dilane Bakwa, Ludovic Blas, and others who registered 8 assists each.
Deep dive into each provider
Let’s look at what made each of the top 5 assist providers special: their style, contribution, and what they brought to their teams.
Rayan Cherki (Olympique Lyonnais)
- With 11 assists, Cherki shared the top spot.
- Known for his flair, dribbling, and ability to pick out passes in tight spaces. Cherki often played on the left side or as a supporting forward, making runs and combining with other attackers.
- His creativity wasn’t just about the final ball—he generated key chances, used clever movement, and unlocked defenses that looked solid. Lyon leaned on him heavily when breaking down packed defenses.
Gaëtan Perrin (AJ Auxerre)
- Also hit 11 assists, matching Cherki.
- Perrin’s play was more direct; Auxiliary runs, crosses and late entries into the box defined much of his assist output.
- His consistency stood out, even if sometimes less flashy than some of the others—he did the often underappreciated work of timing runs, gaining separation, being in the right place for cutbacks or crosses.
Maghnes Akliouche
- Delivered 10 assists.
- As a midfielder/attacking winger, Akliouche mixed through-balls and wing play. He made good use of Monaco’s emphasis on fast transitions and wide attacks.
- His balance of goals + assists showed he was becoming more than just a creative spark—also a scoring threat, which made him harder to track by opposition defenses.
Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Also bagged 10 assists.
- With PSG’s stars around him, Barcola often benefited from high-quality teammates, but he also made them look better. His movement, pressing, work rate made space, and his ability to combine tight passes or deliver crosses under pressure proved valuable.
- Even though sometimes overshadowed by goalscorers, his creative output was a key component of PSG’s attack.
Moses Simon (FC Nantes)
- Also ended the season with 10 assists.
- Simon’s experience and agility made him adept at exploiting defenses, especially on the flanks. He pulled defenders out of shape, used dribbles, cut inside, cross-heavy threat, and created dangerous situations.
- Even if he didn’t always get the spotlight of PSG or Lyon players, his consistency at creating chances was vital for Nantes.
Context and patterns in Ligue 1 2024-25
Understanding top 5 highest assist providers Ligue 1 2025 isn’t just about raw numbers. There are patterns and context that make these stats more meaningful.
- Several players tied or close, showing a competitive field for playmakers. It wasn’t dominated by one person.
- Clubs with strong attacking systems or flair players (PSG, Lyon, Monaco) had multiple players high up in the assist rankings. That shows how the system and teammates matter as much as individual skill.
- Versatility mattered: many top assist providers didn’t just stay wide; they cut inside, exchanged positions, played interplays—tactics that confuse defenders and open pockets.
Comparing goals + assists: the complete contributors
Sometimes assists alone don’t tell the whole story; contributions in goals + assists show full impact. For example:
- Ousmane Dembélé had the most combined goals + assists in Ligue 1 in 2024-25—27 in total.
- Mason Greenwood was close behind. These types of players are doubly dangerous: they can create and they can finish.
Why this matters: impact on teams and transfer value
The top assist providers don’t just pad their own stats—they directly affect their clubs’ success, negotiation power, and reputation.
- Teams with creative providers win tight matches. One smart pass or assist can decide a game.
- Assist leaders often get attention in transfer windows; clubs looking for attacking flair or chance creation will target them.
- For younger players (Cherki, Akliouche, Barcola), strong assist numbers at this level boost international prospects, media profile, and contract leverage.
Prediction: What to watch for next season
- Will Cherki maintain or improve? He already has a top-level creative profile; consistency and fitness will be key.
- Can Perrin break free from being “just an assist provider” and add goal threat? That would up his value dramatically.
- PSG’s supporting cast (e.g., Barcola, João Neves) will be under pressure to improve their creativity if marquee stars move or age.
- Systems might shift: teams that defend deep will force creative players to adapt (e.g., more through-balls, more counterattack involvement).
Conclusion
In this article, CanLinkCup has explored the top 5 highest assist providers Ligue 1 2025, breaking down who they are, their numbers, and what their creative impact meant in the 2024-25 season. Cherki and Perrin led with 11 assists each, followed by Akliouche, Barcola, and Moses Simon at 10. These playmakers didn’t just rack up stats—they shifted games, made teammates better, and gave their clubs real edge.
If you want, next I can pull together a chart of the top 10 assist providers or compare assists over several seasons to see who’s rising or falling. Want me to go for that?
