TOP FIVE Worst Value For Money Forwards Currently Playing In The Premier League

David Tully

2 years ago

Tags: Arsenal, aston villa, Chelsea, Everton, Leeds, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Southampton, Spurs, West Ham, Wolves

Signing a good forward is always expensive. Putting the ball in the back of the net is the hardest job on the football pitch so Premier League teams invest millions in finding players who can fulfil the role.

However, mistakes are made. Clubs do take gambles on certain players in the hope that they can realise their potential, while other transfers look like dead certs but, for whatever reason, don’t work out.

The five players on our list today do all fall into the two categories, and while some may yet go on to have successful careers, it may not happen for them in England.

Press the next page as we countdown the worst value for money Premier League forwards (from players who have played at least 38 matches in the top flight).

5) Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal)- £4.8m per goal

Arsenal clearly overpaid massively when they signed the Ivorian international from Lille for £72m in the summer of 2019.

Pepe has scored 15 league goals in 69 appearances since making the switch to the Emirates and, while he did perform well for Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations recently, he rarely starts for the Gunners these days.

4) Joelinton (Newcastle) – £5.6m per goal

The Magpies paid a club-record £39.6m fee for the Brazilian in 2019, but they have struggled to get much of a return on their investment.

Seven goals in 89 league games is not much to write home about, although it should be pointed out that he has performed much better after being converted into a central midfielder this season.

3) Timo Werner (Chelsea) – £6.8m per goal

Most of the top Premier League clubs were after the German international but Chelsea were the ones who sealed his signature for £47.7m before the start of the 2020/21 season.

Needless to say, Werner has been a massive disappointment. His work rate is commendable but his finishing has been woeful, with just seven league goals over the course of the last eighteen months.

2) Fabio Silva (Wolves) – £9m per goal

Wolves gambled when they paid £36m for the teenager but things haven’t exactly gone to plan so far, with the striker having only hit the back of the net four times in the Premier League.

At 19, Silva should certainly not be written off, and he could yet turn into a top-class forward, but the fact that he has managed only one league start under Bruno Lage so far this campaign tells you all you need to know.

1) Alex Iwobi (Everton) – £9.1m per goal

The Gunners could not believe their luck when Everton offered to pay £27.4m for the Nigerian international on deadline day in August 2019.

Iwobi clearly had potential but he has always struggled with his end product, which has been borne out following his move to Goodison Park where he has scored only three league goals in 68 appearances.