The Premier League has no shortage of elite attacking talent, but identifying its best centre-forwards requires looking beyond the Golden Boot standings.
Some strikers are devastating finishers who need only one opportunity to change a game. Others bring an entirely different dimension, using their physicality, movement and link-up play to make everyone around them better. Then there are the forwards who combine both qualities, making them particularly difficult to defend.
Erling Haaland continues to set the standard, but Liverpool, Chelsea and several clubs outside the traditional elite have their own compelling attacking weapons.
Here are the 10 best strikers in the Premier League right now, ranked by their overall quality, individual impact and current performances.
10. Eli Junior Kroupi – Bournemouth
2025/26 Premier League stats: 13 goals
There is a difference between an exciting young prospect and a teenager who has already demonstrated that he can score consistently in the Premier League. Eli Junior Kroupi belongs firmly in the latter category.
The Bournemouth forward announced himself with an outstanding debut campaign, scoring 13 Premier League goals in 33 appearances during 2025/26. That is an exceptional return for a teenager, particularly one playing for a club that does not enjoy the same attacking resources as the division’s biggest spenders.
What makes Kroupi particularly interesting is his natural instinct inside the penalty area. He doesn’t need an elaborate attacking move or several touches to manufacture a scoring opportunity. His movement, anticipation and willingness to attack dangerous spaces give him the characteristics of a natural goalscorer.
His ability to convert opportunities without requiring enormous shooting volume is another encouraging sign. That instinctive finishing is difficult to teach.
A foot injury suffered during pre-season interrupted his progress, meaning his 2026/27 campaign has started much later than anticipated. His return to the Bournemouth squad, including an assist against Leeds, is encouraging.
Kroupi has plenty to prove before earning a higher position on this list, but his first Premier League season demonstrated that Bournemouth have a potentially special attacking talent.
9. Kai Havertz – Arsenal
2025/26 Premier League stats: 14 goals, 7 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 3 goals, 0 assists
Kai Havertz is one of the most unusual centre-forwards in the Premier League, and that is precisely what makes him so valuable.
The Arsenal attacker isn’t a traditional number nine who spends 90 minutes wrestling with centre-backs and waiting for opportunities inside the six-yard box. His greatest contribution often comes through his movement before the ball even reaches him.
Havertz understands how to manipulate defensive structures. He frequently drops into midfield, drifts into wider channels or makes diagonal runs that force opposition defenders to make uncomfortable decisions.
That movement creates opportunities for Arsenal’s other attackers, particularly their wingers. When Havertz pulls a centre-back away from the middle, the resulting space can become an invitation for Bukayo Saka or another Arsenal attacker to exploit.
His 14 goals and seven assists in 2025/26 demonstrated that he can provide substantial end product alongside those less visible contributions.
There are still questions about whether Havertz offers the consistent penalty-box presence of the division’s most prolific strikers. His three goals in the opening 10 league appearances of 2026/27 are respectable, but Arsenal will want more.
Nevertheless, judging Havertz exclusively through his goals would overlook an important part of his game. He is a sophisticated attacking player whose intelligence can make an entire forward line more dangerous.
8. Thierno Barry – Everton
2026/27 Premier League stats: 6 goals, 1 assist
Thierno Barry is quickly establishing himself as one of the most interesting attacking players in the Premier League.
The Everton forward has brought an intriguing combination of physical power, attacking aggression and penalty-box presence to the division. His adaptation to English football has been particularly encouraging, considering the demands placed on centre-forwards in the Premier League.
Barry’s physical dimensions make him an uncomfortable opponent for almost any centre-back. He can compete in the air, occupy defenders and provide a direct outlet when Everton need to escape pressure.
However, reducing his game to his physicality would be a mistake.
His positioning inside the penalty area has been particularly impressive. Barry consistently finds himself in dangerous positions, giving Everton an attacking presence capable of turning half-chances into genuine scoring opportunities.
The numbers reinforce that impression. He has accumulated approximately 7.29 expected goals this season while scoring six times, suggesting that he is getting into excellent positions but still has room to improve his conversion.
That is an important distinction. Barry is already producing opportunities at a high level, but becoming more clinical could take his game to another level.
There is also considerable potential in his combination of strength and movement. If Everton can consistently supply him with quality service, Barry has the tools to become one of the division’s most productive traditional centre-forwards.
7. Evanilson – Bournemouth
2025/26 Premier League stats: 12 goals, 3 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 5 goals, 4 assists
Bournemouth have one of the most interesting attacking situations in the Premier League because Evanilson and Kroupi offer different solutions to the same problem.
While Kroupi is an instinctive finisher with enormous long-term potential, Evanilson is a more complete centre-forward whose contribution extends well beyond his goals.
The Brazilian is particularly effective without possession. His willingness to press opposition defenders, close passing lanes and aggressively challenge defenders during their build-up makes him an important part of Bournemouth’s defensive structure.
That work rate has an attacking purpose, too.
Evanilson can force mistakes in dangerous areas, creating opportunities before opposing defences have time to establish their shape. It is an underrated quality that makes him especially valuable in a team looking to play an aggressive, energetic style of football.
His five goals and four assists in the opening 10 league appearances of 2026/27 illustrate his ability to contribute in different ways.
He is not necessarily the most spectacular finisher in the division, nor does he possess the overwhelming physical presence of some of his competitors. However, Evanilson offers a combination of pressing, intelligent movement, technical ability and consistent involvement that makes him an excellent Premier League striker.
Bournemouth have every reason to be pleased with their Brazilian forward.
6. Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Leeds United
2025/26 Premier League stats: 13 goals, 2 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 4 goals, 1 assist
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has rediscovered an important part of his game at Leeds United: the ability to make himself an absolute nuisance for opposing defenders.
When operating at his best, the English striker is one of the most difficult forwards in the division to defend against physically.
His aerial ability immediately gives Leeds another attacking dimension. He can compete for long passes, challenge centre-backs and provide a reliable target when his team needs to bypass an opposition press.
However, his value extends beyond simply winning headers.
Calvert-Lewin’s movement can drag central defenders away from their preferred positions, creating opportunities for Leeds’ attacking midfielders and wide forwards to exploit the resulting spaces.
That is particularly important for a team that needs to find different ways of progressing the ball against stronger opposition.
His 13-goal campaign in 2025/26 was a reminder of what he can accomplish when fit and receiving consistent service. Four goals in his opening 10 league appearances this season suggest that he remains an important attacking outlet.
There are understandable concerns about his injury history and whether he can maintain his effectiveness across an entire campaign. He also needs to improve his consistency in front of goal.
Nevertheless, few strikers offer Leeds the same combination of physical presence, aerial threat and penalty-box experience.
5. Nicolas Jackson – Aston Villa
2025/26 Premier League stats: 13 goals, 4 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 6 goals, 0 assists
Nicolas Jackson has always possessed the ingredients to become a highly productive Premier League striker. The challenge has been turning his considerable talent into consistent end product.
His move to Aston Villa has provided an opportunity to establish himself in a different attacking environment, and the early results have been encouraging.
Jackson’s biggest strength is his ability to attack space. He is quick enough to stretch defensive lines, intelligent enough to find openings between centre-backs and technically capable of finishing when opportunities arrive.
He is also particularly dangerous when attacking the penalty area at speed. Rather than constantly looking for speculative efforts from distance, Jackson is most effective when he can use his movement to create high-quality shooting opportunities.
That is reflected in his relatively short average shooting distance, which points towards a preference for getting into dangerous positions rather than settling for low-probability efforts.
Six goals in his opening 10 Premier League appearances represent an encouraging start.
There is still room for improvement. Jackson can occasionally make the wrong decision in promising situations, and his finishing will always attract attention because of the expectations surrounding his position.
But his combination of acceleration, movement and penalty-box instincts makes him a difficult matchup for opposing defenders.
At Aston Villa, Jackson has the opportunity to demonstrate that he can become one of the Premier League’s most reliable goalscorers.
4. Igor Thiago – Brentford
2025/26 Premier League stats: 22 goals, 1 assist
2026/27 Premier League stats: 2 goals, 2 assists
Igor Thiago enjoyed one of the outstanding individual campaigns of 2025/26, scoring 22 Premier League goals for Brentford.
That achievement deserves considerable recognition.
The Brazilian became the highest-scoring Brazilian in a single Premier League season, establishing himself as one of the division’s most productive centre-forwards.
Thiago’s greatest strength is his ability to occupy defenders and turn dangerous deliveries into scoring opportunities.
He possesses the physical presence required to compete with Premier League centre-backs, but his positioning is arguably just as important. He understands where to position himself when Brentford attack the penalty area, particularly when teammates deliver crosses or cutbacks into dangerous areas.
He is also effective at creating space for himself through his movement. His ability to attack the near post, adjust his positioning and anticipate where second balls will land makes him a constant threat.
His start to 2026/27 has been considerably quieter, with two goals and two assists in the opening 10 appearances. That is a noticeable drop from last season’s remarkable production.
However, it would be premature to dismiss him because of a relatively slow start.
Thiago has already demonstrated that he can deliver goals at an elite rate over an entire Premier League campaign. Brentford have a centre-forward capable of competing with the division’s best, and his previous season deserves significant weight in this ranking.
3. João Pedro – Chelsea
2025/26 Premier League stats: 15 goals, 3 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 5 goals, 3 assists in 6 appearances
João Pedro has developed into one of the most technically gifted centre-forwards in English football.
The Chelsea attacker offers something different from the traditional number nine. He is comfortable receiving the ball with his back to goal, linking up with midfielders, carrying possession and creating opportunities for teammates.
That versatility makes him particularly valuable in a team that wants its centre-forward to participate in the entire attacking structure.
Pedro’s technical quality is exceptional. His close control allows him to operate in congested areas, while his ability to turn quickly and combine with teammates makes him difficult to contain.
He is also an intelligent finisher who understands how to find space around the penalty area.
His 2025/26 campaign, which produced 15 Premier League goals, established him as a legitimate attacking force. His early performances this season have been even more encouraging, with five goals and three assists in just six league appearances.
That is an outstanding return.
What separates Pedro from several other players on this list is his ability to influence matches without necessarily scoring. He can drop deeper to collect possession, help Chelsea progress through midfield and then arrive in the penalty area to finish attacking moves.
There are still questions about how consistently he can maintain that output across a full season, but his current trajectory is extremely promising.
Chelsea have an attacker who can function as both a creator and a finisher, and that combination makes João Pedro one of the Premier League’s most valuable forwards.
2. Alexander Isak – Liverpool
2024/25 Premier League stats: 21 goals, 2 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 7 goals, 0 assists
Alexander Isak is arguably the most naturally gifted centre-forward in the Premier League.
The Liverpool striker possesses a combination of technical quality, movement, acceleration and finishing ability that makes him exceptionally difficult to defend against.
At his best, Isak can do almost everything expected of an elite number nine.
He can receive possession with his back to goal, turn away from defenders, carry the ball through midfield and finish with either foot. He is also comfortable drifting into wider areas, where his ability to isolate defenders creates another dimension for Liverpool’s attack.
That versatility is particularly important because Isak does not need to remain stationed between the opposition’s centre-backs to influence a match.
He can drift towards the left channel, receive the ball and attack defenders in one-on-one situations. His technical ability allows him to create shooting opportunities from positions where most conventional strikers would struggle.
His 21-goal Premier League campaign in 2024/25 demonstrated his exceptional scoring potential.
He has carried that form into the current season, scoring seven times in nine league appearances. That puts him among the division’s leading goalscorers, behind only Haaland in the latest scoring standings.
The only reason Isak doesn’t take the top position is that there is another striker currently operating at an extraordinary level.
Liverpool have one of the most complete attacking players in English football, and Isak has the individual quality to challenge for the Golden Boot.
1. Erling Haaland – Manchester City
2025/26 Premier League stats: 27 goals, 5 assists
2026/27 Premier League stats: 9 goals, 0 assists
There is simply no convincing argument for placing anyone above Erling Haaland right now.
The Manchester City superstar remains the most devastating goalscorer in the Premier League, combining extraordinary physical attributes with a level of penalty-box movement that makes him almost impossible to contain over 90 minutes.
Haaland doesn’t need to dominate possession to dominate a football match.
He can spend extended periods making relatively few touches, only to suddenly appear in the perfect position and turn a half-chance into a goal. His ability to anticipate defensive movements and attack space at precisely the right moment is arguably his greatest quality.
That is what makes him so difficult to defend against.
Centre-backs cannot afford to switch off for even a second. Give Haaland a yard of space inside the penalty area, and there is an excellent chance that the ball will end up in the back of the net.
His physicality is another enormous advantage. He can overpower defenders, run beyond defensive lines and hold off challenges while maintaining his balance.
But it is his efficiency that separates him from almost everyone else.
Haaland doesn’t need an elaborate attacking sequence or an enormous number of touches to produce goals. Manchester City can build an attack around his movement, and he provides the finishing quality to make those opportunities count.
His 27-goal campaign in 2025/26 was another reminder of his remarkable consistency. He has started 2026/27 in equally impressive fashion, scoring nine goals in his first 10 league appearances.
That places him comfortably at the top of the Golden Boot standings.
There are other outstanding strikers in the Premier League, including Isak and João Pedro, but nobody currently combines Haaland’s scoring consistency, physical dominance and extraordinary penalty-box instincts.
He remains the benchmark for every other centre-forward in English football.
Purveyor of footy since the 90s. Favor the Premier League and old school Serie A with a touch of Bundesliga. More than a touch. Professional writer for 20 years, covering every sport but now focused on the Premier League and world football. You won’t be able to guess my favorite team.