%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
The 20 Best Premier League Forwards—2026–27 Power Rankings
The Premier League history books were authored by an array of world-class forwards and the division’s current crop aren’t too bad, either.
Much of the Premier League’s star talent is spread across the traditional ‘Big Six’, but in the forward department—perhaps more than any other—the best of the rest also lay claim to some of the competition’s most lethal attacking players.
From penalty box poachers to electrifying wide players, physical behemoths to dainty tricksters, England’s top flight boasts some of the game’s best.
How We Define the Premier League’s Best Current Forwards
- Reputation—Largely synced up with Sports Illustrated’s best players in the world lists, the order is defined not only by recent form but contributions over a longer period of time, a player’s standing in the game and their overall reputation.
- Eye Test—Statistics are often used as the barometer for what good looks like, but we take into account the eye test as well. What players say in post-match interviews is also a factor—you know, that classic line of questioning that is often put to a full back when they’ve taken on a pacy winger or when a center back is asked what it’s like to face a relentless goalscorer.
- Team Impact—If a player were to be taken out of their team, would everything implode? Are they only as good as they are because they are playing in a successful side full of good players? That’s taken into consideration when deciding who ranks where.
Power Rankings: The Premier League’s Best Forwards
20. Junior Kroupi
The 2025–26 season was one to remember for young Bournemouth forward Junior Kroupi.
Recruited from Lorient as a high-potential teenager, Kroupi exploded during his debut season with the Cherries, firing home 13 goals in 33 games.
You get a bit of everything with Kroupi. His movement is elite and his intelligence makes him a serious weapon, and that’s before you consider his dribbling and ball-striking.
There’s a reason big clubs were sniffing around a nine-figure transfer before he went down injured.
19. Pedro Neto
Injuries have prevented Pedro Neto from reaching his full potential, but the Portuguese winger is now delivering on a regular basis for Chelsea.
He has faced stiff competition for places, owing to the Blues’ transfer policy of sign any young player with a heartbeat, but he quickly earned the trust of Enzo Maresca, prior to his January 2026 exit, to become a regular starter in big games.
Neto has a wand of a left foot, making him incredibly dangerous when he cuts inside the full back, but also has great dribbling ability and an eye for a defense-splitting pass. It makes him an entirely different proposition from Estêvão, who he at times is battling for minutes but also can complement when the Brazilian is shifted inside.
18. Harry Wilson
It’s hard to think of many players in the Premier League with a better left foot than Harry Wilson. The Welshman can whip a ball with incredible pace, power and precision, possessing one of the sweetest strikes in the division.
For years, however, there were doubts over whether he could produce that quality consistently. Those questions were answered in 2025–26, when Wilson registered 10 Premier League goals and seven assists to help Fulham mount an unlikely push for European qualification.
That form earned him a summer move to Leeds United, where supporters will be hoping last season was the start of something rather than a one-off.
17. Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck has always been a talented player: blessed with a superb first touch, intelligent link-up play and impressive technical ability. The one thing that had often eluded him, however, was being a consistent goalscorer.
That changed in 2025–26, when the veteran forward enjoyed the best goalscoring season of his career, netting 14 goals across all competitions—including 13 in the Premier League.
A clinical presence inside the penalty area, Welbeck’s resurgence earned him a surprise—or perhaps not so surprising—move to Chelsea. He may not be a guaranteed starter at Stamford Bridge, but with a stronger supporting cast around him, there is every chance the experienced Englishman can improve on an already career-best campaign.
16. Brian Brobbey
When you earn praise from Thierry Henry—arguably the greatest striker the Premier League has ever seen—you know you must be doing something right.
“What I like about him is the separation that he creates. I’m thinking about Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka. They always used to let the ball go straight to you,” Henry said after Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey scored a superb winner against Crystal Palace, holding off his marker before somehow rifling the ball into the roof of the net with the outside of his boot.
“He’s got a big frame, he’s strong and difficult to stop. I don’t know how he scored that goal but I know how he created.”
Henry summed Brobbey up perfectly. The Sunderland striker is not just a physical monster—few defenders possess the strength to handle him—but a genuinely top-class finisher, too.
15. Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyökeres produced freakish goalscoring numbers in Portugal. The former Brighton & Hove Albion striker stunned audiences in Lisbon by scoring 97 goals across the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons for Sporting CP, helping restore the club as the dominant force in the Primeira Liga.
His numbers never quite reached those extraordinary heights in his debut campaign at Arsenal, but 14 Premier League goals still made him a major factor in the Gunners ending their 22-year wait for a league title.
Gyökeres isn’t always the prettiest striker to watch, often looking as though he’s slightly out of control even when carrying the ball, yet that’s all part of his game. He has an uncanny knack for popping up in the right place at the right time inside the penalty area, and when the chance arrives, he possesses a truly venomous finish.
14. Benjamin Sesko
Signed for close to $100 million from RB Leipzig last summer, Benjamin Šeško took a little while to find his feet at Manchester United, but once he did, he barely looked back.
The towering striker scored nine Premier League goals after the turn of the year, including decisive winners against Fulham, Everton, Crystal Palace and Brentford—crucial contributions that helped United finish third and enjoy their best league campaign in years.
Given his height, you might expect Šeško to be a traditional target man. While he is certainly a major aerial threat, it is with the ball at his feet that he is arguably at his most dangerous. Armed with a cannon of a right foot and the ability to surge past defenders with surprising grace for a player of his size, the Slovenian has the world—and the Old Trafford faithful—at his feet.
13. Estevao
Having watched how Chelsea operate under their current ownership, nothing is taken for granted in west London. But one guarantee is that Estêvão is going to be one of the game’s great wingers.
Ridiculously talented, his dribbling ability and searing pace frightens defenders to death, and the fact he’s already cultivated a regular end product is what’s made everybody sit up and take notice.
Not only is Estêvão already strutting his stuff in the Premier League, he’s been making a splash in the Champions League too.
12. Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak took time to settle following his big-money move from Real Sociedad to Newcastle United, but his final two seasons on Tyneside were nothing short of exceptional. The Swedish striker scored 44 Premier League goals across the 2023–24 and 2024–25 campaigns alone, with his performances even drawing comparisons to Thierry Henry.
It was therefore no surprise when Liverpool made a Premier League-record investment to bring the sharpshooter to Anfield last summer. After a lengthy transfer saga, Isak finally secured the move he had been pushing for.
However, history appeared to repeat itself. Just as he needed time to adapt at Newcastle, the Swede struggled to find his rhythm at Liverpool, with two significant injuries limiting him to just 14 appearances and three goals across the season.
With a full pre-season behind him ahead of 2026–27, it would be foolish to bet against Isak rediscovering his best form at Anfield—just as he eventually did at Newcastle.
11. Jean-Philippe Mateta
Crystal Palace supporters lived through a dream spell during Oliver Glasner’s tenure.
The Eagles secured their first-ever major trophy in May 2025, defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, before adding the Community Shield and Conference League to their collection while playing some of the most exciting football in the club’s history.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has been a huge part of that remarkable rise. Goal after goal has come from the Frenchman’s boots and head, with his powerful presence, relentless work rate and finishing ability making him one of the Premier League’s most difficult strikers to contain.
10. Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitiké’s Liverpool career got off to a flying start following his move from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2025, with the forward scoring 17 goals in all competitions and quickly winning over supporters with his unique style.
Lanky yet elegant, Ekitiké combines graceful movement with dazzling footwork and a creativity that makes him one of the most exciting young forwards in the game. The feeling around Anfield was that this was only the beginning, with plenty more to come.
A devastating Achilles tendon injury suffered in April, however, brought a premature end to his season, ruling him out of the remainder of the calendar year and ending his hopes of making France’s World Cup squad.
Here’s hoping the Frenchman can return stronger, because he is undoubtedly one of the most naturally gifted young attackers in world soccer.
9. Jeremy Doku
Few soccer players on the planet can stifle Jérémy Doku at full tilt. The turbo-charged Belgian is devastatingly quick when charging down the touchline and possesses unrivalled acceleration over 10 yards, attributes which make him nigh on impossible for full backs to thwart.
The only criticism of Doku since his blockbuster move to Manchester City has been levelled at his, at times, underwhelming end product, but there are encouraging signs that he’s starting to remedy his inconsistency in the final third.
When Doku’s on song, there are few players more joyous to watch.
8. Bryan Mbeumo
It always felt inevitable that one of Europe’s giants would eventually come calling for Bryan Mbeumo, after the Brentford forward spent recent seasons tearing Premier League defences apart in the club’s famous red and white.
The 2024–25 campaign was arguably his finest yet, with the Cameroon international producing a superb 27 combined goals and assists in the English top flight.
Manchester United eventually made their move, bringing Mbeumo in alongside Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Šeško as they looked to rebuild their attacking options—and the early signs have been promising.
While his 11-goal return was not his most prolific season, Mbeumo’s explosive pace, direct running and excellent close control continued to make him a nightmare for defenders.
7. Igor Thiago
With Ivan Toney heading off to the riches of the Saudi Pro League, Brentford spent big to bring in the largely unproven Igor Thiago. The deal was agreed in February 2024, but a serious knee injury suffered during pre-season meant the Brazilian had to wait until May 2025 to finally make his debut.
Luckily for the Bees, Thiago quickly proved that his goalscoring instincts had not disappeared. The striker immediately embraced the responsibility of leading Brentford’s attack, finishing the season as the Premier League’s second-highest scorer with 22 goals—only behind Erling Haaland.
A first Premier League hat trick in January 2026 was the highlight of a superb campaign, building on his excellent early-season form and helping supporters move on from the departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.
6. Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins has been one of the key figures behind Aston Villa’s transformation from a mid-table side into a regular top-four contender and Europa Cup winners, scoring 15 or more Premier League goals in four consecutive campaigns from 2022–23 to 2025–26.
Watkins thrives on playing off the shoulder of opposition center backs, with his intelligent movement and explosive runs in behind making him one of Villa’s most reliable attacking outlets. And when chances fall his way, he rarely wastes them, combining power with precision to consistently find the back of the net.
5. Matheus Cunha
Mateus Cunha endured a relatively slow start to life at Manchester United following his move from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but by the end of the 2025–26 season, he had established himself as one of the club’s standout performers.
Not only did he contribute 10 goals, he also emerged as one of the creative heartbeats of the side—the forward who would drop between the lines, drive at defenders with the ball at his feet and generally make things happen.
The Brazilian is a top, top player.
4. Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka already ranks among the world’s best wingers and has done for some time despite his tender age. Arsenal’s ‘Star Boy’ has been pivotal to their rise under Mikel Arteta, earning renown for his speed, agility and precise left boot.
The England international is one of the most feared wide men in world football among full backs, tormenting his opponents with a change of direction and immediate burst of pace. Whether hugging the flank or jinking left and right inside the penalty area, Saka is often unstoppable.
Saka has long been both Arsenal’s chief creative and goalscoring force, showcasing the maturity and consistency of someone five years his senior. He’s a sight to behold darting down the right wing.
3. Joao Pedro
Watford supporters quickly realised they had a special talent on their hands when João Pedro arrived from the Maracanã in 2020.
A few years later, after a successful two-season spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, the Brazilian has developed into one of the Premier League’s most gifted forwards. Now at Chelsea, Pedro is showcasing the versatility that makes him such a unique attacking weapon.
Comfortable as a false nine, a No. 10 or a more traditional advanced forward, he excels at linking play, drifting into dangerous spaces and creating opportunities for those around him. He also brings a proven goalscoring touch, finishing his debut season at Stamford Bridge with 20 goals across all competitions.
2. Antoine Semenyo
Antoine Semenyo’s rise has largely flown under the radar. The versatile winger needed time to settle at Bournemouth after arriving from the Championship, producing modest returns during his first 18 months on the south coast. Since the start of the 2024–25 campaign, however, he has barely looked back.
After registering 16 Premier League goal contributions in 2024–25, Semenyo carried that form into the following season, earning a big-money move to Manchester City in January. The transfer only elevated his game further, with the Ghanaian finishing the campaign with 17 Premier League goals.
Combining an imposing physique with explosive pace and the ability to shrug off challenges, Semenyo is a superb dribbler, an excellent creator and, as his numbers show, more than capable of finding the back of the net.
1. Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland looks destined to obliterate just about every goalscoring record in existence. Calling the Norwegian a generational talent almost feels like an understatement, with the Manchester City striker producing ridiculous numbers season after season.
Even during City’s struggles in 2024–25, Haaland still finished with 22 Premier League goals—a tally most forwards in the division could only dream of. He then responded by reclaiming the Golden Boot in 2025–26, his third in four seasons, after firing home 27 league goals.
Blessed with frightening pace, immense strength and an unrelenting eye for goal, Haaland always delivers. The only question is how many he’ll score.
READ MORE ON THE BEST CURRENT PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Ewan Ross-Murray is a soccer writer for SI FC. He boasts years of experience following his First Class Honours in Journalism from the University of Leicester, producing a variety of content from match reports and news pieces to more extensive features on an array of topics. With Scottish, Welsh and English heritage, Ross-Murray’s soccer influences are far-ranging, but his primary focus is on the Premier League and Champions League.