20 Best Premier League Strikers in 2026: Haaland Leads a New Generation of No. 9s

A ranking based on 2025/26 Premier League form, proven quality and all-round attacking influence.

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The Premier League entered 2026 with one of the deepest groups of forwards in world football. Established stars remained decisive, new arrivals adapted quickly, and several players produced the best scoring seasons of their careers.

This ranking is a snapshot taken after the completed 2025/26 campaign. It considers league form, proven quality, finishing, movement, creativity, physical influence and the ability to improve a team beyond goals alone. The word ‘striker’ is used broadly for centre-forwards and goal-focused attackers who regularly lead the line or move into central scoring positions.

Erling Haaland finished the season with 27 Premier League goals and won his third Golden Boot. Brentford’s Igor Thiago followed with 22, while Antoine Semenyo scored 17 across his Bournemouth and Manchester City appearances. Those numbers strongly influence the list, but one season is not the only measure. Alexander Isak, for example, endured an injury-hit first year at Liverpool after scoring 23 league goals for Newcastle in 2024/25.

Here are the 20 best Premier League strikers of 2026.

How the Ranking Was Judged

Goals carry the greatest weight, but the ranking is not simply a copy of the scoring table. A striker can finish below another player in total goals while offering more through pressing, chance creation, ball retention or movement. Team quality also matters. Scoring 15 goals for a mid-table side can be as impressive as reaching 20 for a dominant title contender.

Recent form is balanced against proven Premier League quality. That is why Isak remains near the top despite an injury-hit campaign, while Thiago rises sharply after one outstanding season. Age and potential are considered, but they do not replace actual performance. Young forwards such as Sesko and Osula are ranked for what they have already shown, not only for what they might become.

Wide forwards are included only when they regularly attack central scoring areas. Semenyo and Mbeumo qualify because their teams use them as major goal threats rather than traditional touchline wingers. Creative midfielders who occasionally score, including Morgan Gibbs-White and Junior Kroupi, are excluded because they are not primarily strikers.

The Top 20 at a Glance

Rank	Player	2025/26 club
1	Erling Haaland	Manchester City
2	Alexander Isak	Liverpool
3	Igor Thiago	Brentford
4	Antoine Semenyo	Manchester City
5	Ollie Watkins	Aston Villa
6	Joao Pedro	Chelsea
7	Viktor Gyokeres	Arsenal
8	Hugo Ekitike	Liverpool
9	Benjamin Sesko	Manchester United
10	Jean-Philippe Mateta	Crystal Palace
11	Dominic Calvert-Lewin	Leeds United
12	Danny Welbeck	Brighton & Hove Albion
13	Bryan Mbeumo	Manchester United
14	Matheus Cunha	Manchester United
15	Richarlison	Tottenham Hotspur
16	Evanilson	Bournemouth
17	Dominic Solanke	Tottenham Hotspur
18	Nick Woltemade	Newcastle United
19	Beto	Everton
20	William Osula	Newcastle United

20. William Osula

Newcastle United. Osula finished the season with real momentum. After spending much of the campaign as a substitute, he started Newcastle’s final seven league matches and scored five goals in that run. His speed, strength and willingness to attack the six-yard box make him one of the division’s most interesting young strikers.

19. Beto

Everton. Beto remains an awkward opponent for centre-backs. He scored nine league goals in 2025/26 despite playing fewer minutes than many rivals. His size, direct running and ability to turn loose balls into chances give Everton a strong focal point, even though his link play still needs greater consistency.

18. Nick Woltemade

Newcastle United. Woltemade’s first Premier League season produced eight goals and three assists. At 6ft 6in, he offers obvious height, yet his game is more technical than that description suggests. He likes dropping between the lines and may be most effective beside another striker rather than remaining fixed as a lone number nine.

17. Dominic Solanke

Tottenham Hotspur. Injuries and team instability limited Solanke’s 2025/26 impact, but his wider body of work keeps him inside the top 20. He presses intelligently, links attacks and makes disciplined penalty-box runs. A healthier season in a more settled Tottenham side could quickly move him back up this ranking.

16. Evanilson

Bournemouth. Evanilson provides movement, pressing and smart near-post runs. He may not dominate matches physically, but he constantly occupies defenders and creates space for Bournemouth’s attacking midfielders. His finishing can become more reliable, yet his tactical value makes him one of the league’s most complete second-tier strikers.

15. Richarlison

Tottenham Hotspur. Richarlison scored 11 goals and supplied four assists in the league. He remains capable of playing from the left or through the middle, attacks crosses aggressively and brings an emotional edge. Fitness and consistency have often held him back, but a confident Richarlison is still a difficult forward to contain.

14. Matheus Cunha

Manchester United. Cunha is not a traditional penalty-box number nine. He prefers to carry the ball, combine between the lines and create his own shooting opportunities. Ten league goals in his first United season showed his value. His creativity and unpredictability make him a dangerous support striker in Michael Carrick’s attack.

13. Bryan Mbeumo

Manchester United. Mbeumo is primarily a right-sided forward, but his movement into central areas earns him a place. He scored 11 league goals during his first season at Old Trafford and brings pressing, sharp off-ball runs and calm finishing. His ability to play beside or behind a striker increases his importance.

12. Danny Welbeck

Brighton & Hove Albion. Welbeck produced 13 league goals and continued to defy age. His movement remains intelligent, while his experience helps Brighton’s younger attackers. He may no longer sprint away from defenders as often as he once did, but positioning, timing and cleaner finishing made 2025/26 one of his strongest Premier League seasons.

11. Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Leeds United. Calvert-Lewin rediscovered his scoring rhythm with 14 league goals. When fit, he is still among England’s best aerial centre-forwards. He attacks crosses well, holds the ball under pressure and carries a major penalty-box threat. His availability remains the main question, but his 2025/26 output deserves recognition.

10. Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace. Mateta scored 12 times and continued to combine physical power with improved finishing. He can pin defenders, attack crosses and create shots through strength. Palace’s system gives him support, but his transformation from inconsistent squad option into a dependable Premier League striker is now impossible to ignore.

9. Benjamin Sesko

Manchester United. Sesko scored 11 league goals despite starting only 30 matches and playing far fewer minutes than many strikers above him. His height, pace and powerful shooting give him an elite ceiling. The next step is improving his involvement against compact defences and becoming a reliable 15-to-20-goal Premier League forward.

8. Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool. Ekitike’s 11 goals and four assists came in an injury-interrupted campaign. He is smooth in possession, quick across the ground and comfortable moving away from the centre to combine. Long-term fitness is the concern, but his technical level and finishing potential make him one of the league’s most gifted young forwards.

7. Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal. Gyokeres scored 14 league goals in his first Premier League season with Arsenal. His combination of strength, running power and relentless movement gave the champions a more direct threat. He was not always clinical, yet his work stretched defences and created space for Arsenal’s attacking midfielders.

6. Joao Pedro

Chelsea. Joao Pedro offers goals, creativity and positional flexibility. He can lead the line, play behind another striker or drift into wide areas. His double-figure scoring season was supported by clever link play and strong duelling. Chelsea’s crowded attack creates competition, but his all-round game makes him a high-level option.

5. Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa. Watkins remains one of the Premier League’s most dependable forwards. He scored 16 league goals in 2025/26 while continuing to press, run the channels and create space for teammates. He may not possess Haaland’s power or Isak’s elegance, but few strikers combine availability, movement and consistent output as well.

4. Antoine Semenyo

Manchester City. Semenyo is more of a wide forward than a classic number nine, yet 17 league goals demand inclusion. His power, two-footed finishing and direct running made him dangerous for Bournemouth before his move to City. He can attack from the left, right or central positions, giving his team several routes to goal.

3. Igor Thiago

Brentford. Thiago was the breakout striker of the season. He scored 22 league goals in 37 starts and finished second in the Golden Boot race. His 41 big chances and 80 shots inside the box ranked behind only Haaland among forwards. Powerful in the air and decisive close to goal, he transformed Brentford’s attack.

2. Alexander Isak

Liverpool. Isak’s first Liverpool season was damaged by injury, limiting him to eight league starts. Even so, his proven quality keeps him second. He had scored 23 goals for Newcastle in 2024/25 and remains an outstanding blend of pace, balance, close control and composed finishing. Fitness is the only major barrier.

1. Erling Haaland

Manchester City. Haaland remains the standard every Premier League striker must chase. His 27 goals secured a third Golden Boot, while eight assists showed growing involvement outside the penalty area. He dominates space, attacks crosses with force and finishes at extraordinary volume. Until another forward matches his consistency, number one is not seriously in doubt.

Honourable Mentions

Chris Wood, Liam Delap and Raul Jimenez narrowly miss the top 20. Wood remains one of the division’s smartest penalty-box finishers, although his 2025/26 campaign did not match his outstanding previous season. Delap has the power and aggression to climb rapidly if he earns regular Chelsea minutes. Jimenez scored nine league goals for Fulham before returning to Wolves in the Championship, so he is excluded from the forward-looking 2026/27 picture. Junior Kroupi scored 13 times for Bournemouth, but he is better classified as a number 10 than a centre-forward.

Final Verdict

The strongest feature of the 2026 striker class is its variety. Haaland and Thiago dominate the box. Isak and Ekitike combine finishing with elegant link play. Watkins offers relentless movement, while Gyokeres and Sesko bring speed and power. Joao Pedro, Cunha, Mbeumo and Semenyo show how modern goal scorers increasingly move between several attacking positions.

Haaland is the clear leader, but the group beneath him is changing quickly. Thiago must prove his breakout season can be repeated. Isak needs to stay healthy. Sesko, Ekitike, Woltemade and Osula have the talent to rise. Experienced forwards such as Watkins, Welbeck and Calvert-Lewin remain valuable because reliability is difficult to replace.

The 2026/27 campaign will settle several debates. For now, Haaland leads the ranking, Isak remains his closest rival on pure ability, and Igor Thiago owns the strongest claim as the league’s newest elite finisher.

Sources

Premier League: Haaland wins the 2025/26 Golden Boot with 27 goals

Premier League: 2025/26 season decisions and top-three scorers

Premier League: 2026/27 Fantasy analysis for Haaland, Isak, Thiago, Calvert-Lewin and Osula

TNT Sports: 2025/26 Premier League top scorers table

Premier League: William Osula rising-star analysis

Premier League: Nick Woltemade profile

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