This year’s transfer window has been the summer of striker signings. Premier League clubs alone have spent over €600m on No. 9’s this transfer window, and they’re not even close to being finished. With that in mind, let’s look at the top five strikers still available on the transfer market.
5. Yoane Wissa
If Yoane Wissa were a few years younger, I could’ve easily put him second or third on this list. “But didn’t you put 29-year-old Ollie Watkins higher than Wissa?” you might ask. Yes, I did, but that’s because Watkins has reached higher highs than Wissa more consistently. I also have questions about how Wissa will perform without Bryan Mbeumo by his side.
With all this being said, Wissa is a proven goalscorer, and those are hard to come by.
Wissa netted 20 goals in all competitions for Brentford last season. He’s scored double-digit goals in four of the last five seasons. According to FBref, he had six most expected goals in all of Europe’s Big 5 leagues.
In my opinion, Mbeumo was the better player at Brentford —he created more chances and contributed more off the ball— but goals win games, so I wouldn’t hate any club for signing Wissa.
Honorable Mentions: Lucas Stassin (Saint-Étienne), Loïs Openda (RB Leipzig), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea), Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus).
4. Arnaud Kalimuendo
If Newcastle sell Isak, Arnaud Kalimuendo has been tipped as a player they could sign to replace him. At first, this a bit confusing because they’re not the same kind of players, but overall, Kalimuendo has quality and could be a good option for a side like the Magpies.
The 23-year-old had the third most goals in Ligue 1 last season while playing for an underperforming Rennes side. He outscored Jonathan David and Evann Guessand, who both got moves away from France to bigger clubs this summer.
Kalimuendo also contributes to the buildup. FBref puts him in the 93rd percentile for pass completion in the 83rd for progressive passes. If Newcastle don’t sign him, this sort of skillset could work well with Daniel Farke’s Leeds, who are also reportedly interested in the Frenchman.
3. Samu Aghehowa
With Viktor Gyokeres gone, Samu Aghehowa is the best striker in the Primeira Liga. I think more clubs should consider signing him. The 21-year-old Spaniard hasn’t been as prolific for Porto as Gyokeres was for Benfica, but he’s clearly got talent and a lot of room to grow.
Samu scored 27 goals for Porto last season, including 6 goals in 9 Europa League matches. FBref ranks him in the 96th percentile for non-penalty goals and the 88th percentile for shots taken. He’s already on the scoresheet this season after netting home two goals for Os Dragões in their league-opener against Vitória de Guimarães.
Since the season has already started in Portugal, it will be tough to sign Samu before the window closes in September. That said, Porto are in a bit of a transition period right now and could be willing to sell for the right price.
Aston Villa were reportedly mulling a £55m offer last month (per The Guardian). Samu has also been linked to Newcastle amid the Alexander Isak transfer saga.
2. Ollie Watkins
The general consensus on Ollie Watkins is that he took a massive step back last season. I think this is unfair. Yes, his role at Aston Villa was diminished by the emergence of Jhon Duran, but it was still a very good season for the 29-year-old.
Watkins had 31 goal contributions in all competitions last season (17 goals, 14 assists). In the PL, Watkins was third in goal contributions per 90 minutes. Only Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak had more. If we zoom out even further, Harry Kane is the only English striker with more goal contributions in the last five years than Watkins.
To put it bluntly, Watkins is still one of Europe’s top strikers and is worth signing for any top team needing more forward options. Whether anyone wants to sign him now is another story. Man Utd seemed the most interested, but after signing Sesko, it’s hard to see them getting Watkins too.
1. Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak entered the transfer window as one of the most in-demand players in Europe. He scored 23 league goals for Newcastle last season and scored the match-winning goal in the club’s historic Carabao Cup win over Liverpool in March.
Given his quality, the Magpies have slapped a giant £150m price tag on Isak. This was too high for Arsenal so they signed Viktor Gyokeres. Manchester United couldn’t afford it either so they went for Benjamin Sesko.
As things stand now, Isak is still a Newcastle player. He doesn’t want to be, though. Multiple reports say that the Swede is desperate for a move away from Tyneside.
David Ornstein claims that Isak is “adamant” he will never play for Newcastle again, regardless if he is sold this summer.
Will Isak get the move he wants? It’s hard to say. Reports claim that Newcastle have already rejected a £110m bid for Isak from Liverpool. The Reds are still in the race for the striker, but it’s unclear if they’ll be willing to meet Newcastle’s asking price.
Besides Liverpool, Isak has also been linked to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, who should have no problem paying their sister club a fair fee for the 25-year-old.
