The Premier League has seen its fair share of extraordinary footballers, but not every remarkable season is the beginning of something special. Sometimes, a player catches lightning in a bottle, enjoys a spectacular run of form and briefly looks like one of the best footballers in the country. Then, just as quickly, the magic disappears.
There have been prolific strikers who couldn’t stop scoring, young prospects who looked destined for superstardom and unexpected signings who made their clubs look like geniuses. Some were undone by injuries, others by transfers, and a few simply couldn’t sustain the form that made them household names.
From Michu’s unforgettable Swansea campaign to Kevin Phillips’ remarkable Golden Shoe-winning season, these are the 10 biggest one-season wonders in Premier League history.
10. Benjani – Portsmouth (2007/08)
There was a time when Benjani looked like one of the most dangerous strikers in the Premier League. His 2007/08 campaign with Portsmouth was particularly remarkable considering his relatively modest scoring record before arriving at Fratton Park. After managing just seven goals across his previous 47 league appearances, the Zimbabwean suddenly found another gear.
Benjani scored 12 Premier League goals in just 23 appearances, adding an assist and recording two hat-tricks along the way. His contribution to Portsmouth’s memorable 7-4 victory over Reading was particularly memorable, with the striker taking advantage of one of the most extraordinary matches in Premier League history.
Harry Redknapp had discovered a valuable attacking weapon, and it wasn’t long before bigger clubs came calling. Manchester City eventually secured his services for approximately £9.5 million in January 2008.
Unfortunately, the move proved to be a turning point for all the wrong reasons. His infamous deadline-day transfer was complicated by airport delays and fax-machine problems, and he never recovered his Portsmouth momentum. Benjani managed just four Premier League goals over the following two seasons.
Redknapp clearly understood what made him effective, describing him as a hard-working player who gave everything for the team. Benjani himself later praised his former manager, saying he was the kind of manager a player would die for.
For one glorious Portsmouth campaign, Benjani looked like an entirely different striker.
9. Adnan Januzaj – Manchester United (2013/14)
For a brief moment, Adnan Januzaj looked like Manchester United’s next superstar. Making his breakthrough during the turbulent final season of David Moyes’ tenure, the Belgian teenager became one of the few genuine bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign at Old Trafford.
At just 18 years old, Januzaj made 27 Premier League appearances, scoring four goals and providing three assists. His breakthrough performance came against Sunderland in October 2013, when he scored twice in the second half to rescue a 2-1 victory for United. It was the kind of performance that immediately generates enormous expectations around a young footballer.
Moyes certainly believed he had something special on his hands. Having previously overseen the debuts of Wayne Rooney and Ross Barkley, the United manager compared Januzaj’s potential to that of the two highly regarded Englishmen. United quickly rewarded the youngster with a five-year contract.
There was genuine excitement surrounding his future. Januzaj possessed technical ability, confidence on the ball and the willingness to take defenders on. In a struggling United side, he offered something different.
But the momentum disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived. Following Moyes’ dismissal, Januzaj struggled to establish himself under Louis van Gaal, failing to score in 18 Premier League appearances during 2014/15.
He would manage just one more Premier League goal throughout the remainder of his career in England.
Januzaj’s talent was never entirely imaginary. However, the difference between looking like a future superstar at 18 and actually becoming one proved enormous.
8. Papiss Cissé – Newcastle United (2011/12)
Few January signings have made an immediate impact quite like Papiss Cissé. Newcastle United were enjoying an excellent season under Alan Pardew, but the arrival of the Senegalese striker transformed their attacking threat and helped propel them toward an unlikely challenge for Champions League qualification.
Signed from Freiburg for approximately £10 million, Cissé scored 13 Premier League goals in just 14 appearances during the second half of the 2011/12 campaign. His extraordinary scoring rate of more than one goal per game made him one of the most dangerous forwards in English football.
Cissé wasn’t simply scoring tap-ins, either. He demonstrated remarkable composure, intelligent movement and an ability to produce spectacular finishes from seemingly impossible positions.
Nothing illustrated that better than his performance against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. His second goal was an outrageous 37-yard outside-of-the-boot volley that flew over Petr Cech and into the net. It was subsequently voted the BBC’s Goal of the Season.
Pardew described the strike as one of the great goals, while Cissé later recalled watching the replay himself and being surprised by what he had produced.
Unfortunately, the remarkable scoring streak proved impossible to sustain. Cissé managed just eight Premier League goals in 36 appearances the following season as Newcastle fell from fifth to 16th.
He remained a useful player for the Magpies, but the extraordinary finishing that defined his first six months in England was never consistently replicated.
For a few months, however, Cissé was practically unstoppable.
7. Roque Santa Cruz – Blackburn Rovers (2007/08)
Blackburn Rovers didn’t necessarily expect to sign a Premier League superstar when they brought Roque Santa Cruz over from Bayern Munich for approximately £3.5 million. They certainly got one for at least one season.
The Paraguayan striker arrived with an impressive reputation, but his goalscoring record in Germany had raised questions about whether he could become a prolific Premier League forward. Mark Hughes had no such concerns, and his confidence was quickly rewarded.
Santa Cruz scored 19 Premier League goals and provided five assists in 37 appearances during the 2007/08 campaign. Even more impressively, every single goal came from open play, without the benefit of penalties.
That return placed him fourth in the Golden Boot standings, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres and Emmanuel Adebayor. Not bad company for a player who had cost Blackburn a relatively modest transfer fee.
Santa Cruz offered an excellent combination of physicality, aerial ability and technical quality. He could hold the ball up, bring teammates into play and punish defenders inside the penalty area. His performances made Blackburn a genuinely dangerous attacking side.
Hughes had described him as a match-winner when defending the signing, and the striker delivered exactly that.
Unfortunately, knee injuries disrupted his subsequent campaign, limiting him to just four Premier League goals in 2008/09. A lucrative £18 million reunion with Hughes at Manchester City followed, but Santa Cruz managed only three league goals in 19 appearances.
His career continued beyond England, but that spectacular Blackburn season remained his defining Premier League achievement.
6. Andrey Arshavin – Arsenal (2008/09)
Andrey Arshavin’s arrival at Arsenal in January 2009 was supposed to provide Arsène Wenger with the creative spark needed to reinvigorate his attacking options. Instead, the Russian delivered one of the most memorable individual performances in Premier League history.
Signed from Zenit St. Petersburg for approximately £15 million, Arshavin wasted little time making his presence felt. He scored six goals and provided five assists in just 12 Premier League starts during the second half of the 2008/09 campaign.
His most extraordinary performance came at Anfield against Liverpool. Arsenal were involved in a remarkable 4-4 draw, and Arshavin scored all four of his team’s goals, becoming the first visiting player since 1946 to score four league goals at the stadium.
It was a performance that instantly elevated him into Premier League folklore. Every finish demonstrated his composure and technical quality, while his four-finger celebration became an iconic image of his Arsenal career.
Wenger described the finishing that evening as exceptional, and it was difficult to disagree.
Arshavin continued to produce flashes of brilliance during the following campaign, but the consistency gradually disappeared. Fitness problems and concerns about his work rate increasingly overshadowed his technical ability.
His output eventually collapsed, and he scored just once across his final two Premier League seasons at the Emirates.
There was always an argument that Arsenal never quite found the ideal role for Arshavin. Nevertheless, his first few months in England were extraordinary.
He arrived as an expensive creative addition and briefly looked like one of the most exciting attackers in the entire league.
5. Andy Johnson – Crystal Palace (2004/05)
Scoring 21 Premier League goals for a relegation-threatened team is impressive enough. Doing it while finishing second in the Golden Boot standings is something else entirely.
Andy Johnson’s 2004/05 campaign with Crystal Palace was one of the most remarkable individual seasons by a striker in Premier League history. The Englishman scored 21 goals and provided three assists in 37 appearances, finishing behind only Thierry Henry, who managed 25.
Palace ultimately couldn’t avoid relegation, but Johnson was an extraordinary bright spot throughout their difficult campaign.
His performances were built around intelligent movement, relentless energy and an excellent ability to exploit defensive mistakes. Johnson was particularly effective at winning penalties, converting 11 spot-kicks during the season and establishing a Premier League single-season record.
That achievement attracted criticism from some observers, but manager Iain Dowie wasn’t interested in entertaining accusations that his striker was somehow manufacturing opportunities unfairly.
Dowie famously declared that he wasn’t jumping on the Andy Johnson for England bandwagon, but driving it. He also fiercely defended his player’s honesty and commitment.
Johnson eventually earned England recognition, and his performances attracted interest from several bigger clubs.
However, the 2004/05 campaign proved difficult to replicate. He never reached 21 Premier League goals again, although he did manage 11 league goals with Everton in 2006/07.
Injuries subsequently disrupted his career and prevented him from maintaining his early momentum.
Johnson was an excellent Premier League striker, but that remarkable Palace season was something entirely different.
4. Amr Zaki – Wigan Athletic (2008/09)
There are few players who have enjoyed a more explosive introduction to the Premier League before disappearing quite as dramatically as Amr Zaki.
The Egyptian striker arrived at Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan from Zamalek in the summer of 2008. Initially, the signing looked like an inspired piece of business from manager Steve Bruce.
Zaki scored seven goals in his first eight Premier League appearances, briefly becoming the division’s leading scorer and attracting attention from clubs across Europe.
His physical strength, acceleration and spectacular finishing made him a nightmare for defenders. He wasn’t simply another imposing centre-forward capable of occupying defenders. Zaki could produce moments of genuine technical brilliance.
His acrobatic scissor-kick volley against Liverpool at Anfield remains one of the most memorable goals of the 2008/09 season.
Bruce was understandably enthusiastic about his new signing, praising his physical attributes, power and pace. At that stage, Zaki looked like a potential Premier League sensation.
But the story quickly deteriorated.
Zaki repeatedly returned late from international duty, creating growing frustration behind the scenes. His relationship with Bruce eventually collapsed, with the manager publicly describing him as one of the most unprofessional players he had ever worked with.
The goals dried up, too. After scoring ten league goals during the campaign, Zaki failed to find the net in the final months of the season.
A subsequent loan spell at Hull City produced no goals whatsoever.
It’s difficult to forget how good Zaki looked during those opening weeks. It’s even harder to believe how quickly everything fell apart.
3. Kevin Phillips – Sunderland (1999/00)
Kevin Phillips didn’t simply have a good debut Premier League season. He produced one of the greatest goalscoring campaigns by an English striker in the history of the competition.
Sunderland had only just returned to the top flight when Phillips arrived in the Premier League, but the newly promoted side quickly discovered they had a phenomenal goalscorer on their hands.
During the 1999/00 campaign, Phillips scored 30 Premier League goals and provided four assists in 36 appearances. His performances helped Sunderland finish an impressive seventh, far exceeding expectations for a newly promoted team.
The striker’s partnership with Niall Quinn was particularly effective. Quinn’s physical presence and ability to win aerial duels created opportunities for Phillips to exploit, with the two developing an excellent understanding.
Phillips later credited manager Peter Reid’s tactical instructions, explaining that one of the most important pieces of advice was to remain within 10 to 15 yards of Quinn.
The partnership was remarkably productive, and Phillips’ finishing was simply outstanding.
His 30-goal haul earned him the European Golden Shoe, making him the only Englishman ever to win the prestigious award.
That achievement alone makes his place in Premier League history secure.
However, Phillips couldn’t sustain that extraordinary level of production. His league tally dropped to 14 goals the following season before falling to 11 and then six across the next two campaigns.
He remained a respected striker throughout his career, but the 1999/00 season was unquestionably his masterpiece.
Very few players have ever produced a single campaign quite like it.
2. Saido Berahino – West Bromwich Albion (2014/15)
Saido Berahino’s 2014/15 season is a fascinating example of how quickly a promising football career can change direction.
At just 20 years old, the West Bromwich Albion forward appeared to be on the verge of becoming one of England’s most exciting attacking talents. He played all 38 Premier League matches, scoring 14 goals and adding another six across other competitions.
Berahino combined impressive pace with an ability to attack space behind defensive lines. He was confident, direct and capable of scoring different types of goals, making him one of the most exciting young forwards in the country.
His performances earned him a senior England squad call-up, while Tottenham’s interest during the summer of 2015 suggested that a major transfer could be on the horizon.
For a young player, the attention was enormous. Berahino suddenly found himself at the centre of a transfer saga that threatened to overshadow everything he had achieved on the pitch.
West Brom rejected Tottenham’s advances, and the relationship between the player and his club deteriorated.
What followed was a dramatic decline. Fitness concerns, inconsistent performances and off-field distractions prevented Berahino from building on his breakthrough season.
Tony Pulis later reflected on the situation, suggesting that the player’s fitness levels had not been where they needed to be during his time at the club.
The most remarkable statistic came later: Berahino endured a 913-day competitive goal drought.
He eventually found opportunities elsewhere, but never rediscovered the player who had terrorized Premier League defenses in 2014/15.
For West Brom, that season represented the emergence of a potential superstar. Unfortunately, it was also the beginning of a spectacular fall from grace.
1. Michu – Swansea City (2012/13)
Some Premier League signings are remembered because of their enormous transfer fees. Others become iconic because they deliver something extraordinary for almost nothing.
Michu belongs firmly in the second category.
Swansea City signed the Spanish forward from Rayo Vallecano for approximately £2 million in the summer of 2012. It was an inexpensive gamble, but few could have anticipated just how spectacularly it would pay off.
Michu scored 18 Premier League goals and provided two assists in 35 appearances during his debut campaign. Remarkably, none of his league goals came from the penalty spot.
He was one of the most productive attackers in the division, combining intelligent movement with an excellent understanding of space and an uncanny ability to arrive in dangerous positions.
His performances helped Swansea secure a memorable ninth-place finish, but his contribution extended well beyond league football.
Michu scored 22 goals across all competitions, finding the net against Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea. He also scored in Swansea’s 5-0 League Cup final victory over Bradford City, helping the Welsh club secure the first major trophy in their history.
Manager Michael Laudrup famously described the signing as the bargain of the season. It was difficult to argue otherwise.
Michu was subsequently voted the Premier League’s Signing of the Season by his fellow managers, and his performances made him one of the most recognizable players in English football.
Unfortunately, chronic ankle injuries destroyed much of the momentum he had built. He managed just two Premier League goals in 2013/14, spent a brief period on loan at Napoli and eventually retired from professional football at just 31.
His career was tragically disrupted, but his place in Swansea history was already secured.
Even years later, Michu remains one of the most iconic cult heroes the Premier League has ever produced.
A £2 million signing who delivered a 22-goal season, won a major trophy and briefly became one of the most feared forwards in England.
That’s a bargain that Swansea supporters will never forget.
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.