The 2025 summer transfer window saw a wave of attacking talent join the English Premier League as several clubs secured new strikers to bolster their forward lines.
From proven finishers to emerging stars, each signing carried its own weight of expectation, tasked with helping transform their team’s attacking fortunes with the promise of goals and glory.
Now, with seven games of the 2025/26 English Premier League season played, it is the perfect time to see how the new strikers are getting on.
1: Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool)
Ekitike has made a brilliant start to life at Liverpool, including scoring three goals in his first three appearances for the club, while he now has five goals in 10 appearances across all competitions.
His performances have been so encouraging that the striker has largely kept big-money signing Alexander Isak out of the team, highlighting the brilliance of the French striker so far this season.
2: Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United)
Woltemade scored on his Newcastle United debut with a brilliant header, and the striker has now netted four in seven appearances for the Magpies, including three in his last three matches before the ongoing international break.
Woltemade’s hold-up and combination play have both stood out for Newcastle, while his goal-scoring instincts have also clearly impressed.
3: Joao Pedro (Chelsea)
Pedro had a sensational start to life at Chelsea, scoring five goals and registering two assists in his first six appearances for the Blues, including helping them to lift the Club World Cup during the summer.
The Brazilian now has two goals and three assists in seven Premier League appearances, but since being asked to play slightly further forward due to Liam Delap’s injury, Pedro has struggled to maintain his form, going without a goal or assist in his last five matches.
4: Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Gyokeres has had a mixed start to life at Arsenal, scoring just three goals in 10 appearances across the Champions League, English Premier League and EFL Cup, while he has also failed to make an impact in the bigger games.
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There have been signs of what the Swedish striker can offer to the Gunners, with quality centre-forward play freeing up the likes of Bukayo Saka but Gyokeres would like to improve his goalscoring record and consistency if he is to meet the expectations that accompanied his arrival.
5: Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United)
Sesko had a difficult start for Manchester United, failing to score in his first six appearances across all competitions, but the 22-year-old now heads into the international break with two goals in his last two, as well as producing two superb overall performances.
The striker has shown a fantastic ability to perform as a hold-up striker, with the physicality to hold the ball and bring others into play, while he has also shown his scoring instincts inside the box.
6: Alexander Isak (Liverpool)
Isak arrived with the highest expectations of any striker on this list as Liverpool broke the British transfer record to secure his signature from Newcastle United, but the Sweden international has struggled to meet expectations so far.
Isak has scored just once for Liverpool in six appearances, which came against Championship side Southampton in the EFL Cup, while his overall performances have also failed to impress.
Combined with Ekitike’s fantastic start as a Liverpool player, Isak faces a tough task to become their main striker in the coming weeks.
7: Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Arokodare has started only two Premier League matches for Wolverhampton Wanderers, playing only five games in total, and while he has scored just one goal, there have been plenty of encouraging signs for the Super Eagles star.
Arokodare’s goal came against Everton in the EFL Cup, when the Nigerian brilliantly chipped Mark Travers to help Wolves secure a 2-0 win, and while this scoring ability is yet to be seen in the league, there is plenty of promise from the forward’s early performances.
8: Liam Delap (Chelsea)
Delap is yet to score a competitive goal for Chelsea in nine appearances across the Club World Cup and English Premier League, while he has also picked up an injury that has ruled him out from August until November.
Delap clearly struggled to adapt to Chelsea’s system in his first matches for the club, with the striker getting very few chances and touches of the ball, and the Englishman will be hoping to produce significantly improved performances when he returns to action.
9: Thierno Barry (Everton)
Barry was hotly tipped to be one of the best pieces of business during the summer transfer window, having arrived at Everton for just £27m, but the striker has failed to impress in his first nine competitive appearances.
Barry is yet to score or assist for the Toffees, with Beto firmly the first-choice striker thus far, leaving the Frenchman with plenty to do if he is to live up to the expectations upon his arrival.
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