Best Forwards in the Premier League 2025/26
Per-90 performance rankings · Rising Transfers DNA Analysis · 25 players ranked
Based on per-90 statistics across 25 Premier League forwards in 2025/26, Erling Haaland leads the ranking as a Poacher with a composite score of 0.93. Hugo Ekitiké (Poacher) ranks second at 0.69, followed by Benjamin Sesko (Target Man) at 0.69. All rankings are calculated using Rising Transfers' 47-dimension per-90 analysis methodology.
Methodology: Per-90 stats explained · DNA matching
Erling Haaland
21 games · Norway
Hugo Ekitiké
28 games · France
Benjamin Sesko
30 games · Slovenia
Full Premier League Forwards Rankings
| # | Player | Style | Goals/90 | Ast/90 | Shots/90 | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erling Haaland | Poacher | 0.81 | 0.25 | 3.89 | 21 | Similar → |
| 2 | Hugo Ekitiké | Poacher | 0.55 | 0.20 | 3.23 | 28 | Similar → |
| 3 | Benjamin Sesko | Target Man | 0.60 | 0.06 | 3.35 | 30 | Similar → |
| 4 | Richarlison | Target Man | 0.50 | 0.25 | 2.85 | 29 | Similar → |
| 5 | Eli Kroupi | Poacher | 0.70 | 0.00 | 2.58 | 31 | Similar → |
| 6 | Zian Flemming | Target Man | 0.56 | 0.06 | 2.87 | 27 | Similar → |
| 7 | João Pedro | Target Man | 0.52 | 0.17 | 2.47 | 34 | Similar → |
| 8 | Igor Thiago | Target Man | 0.64 | 0.03 | 2.35 | 36 | Similar → |
| 9 | Beto | Target Man | 0.55 | 0.06 | 2.54 | 35 | Similar → |
| 10 | Antoine Semenyo | Inside Forward | 0.50 | 0.15 | 2.45 | 20 | Similar → |
| 11 | Viktor Gyökeres | Poacher | 0.57 | 0.04 | 2.20 | 34 | Similar → |
| 12 | Raúl Jiménez | Target Man | 0.38 | 0.13 | 2.96 | 34 | Similar → |
| 13 | Danny Welbeck | Poacher | 0.55 | 0.04 | 2.27 | 35 | Similar → |
| 14 | Mohamed Salah | Inside Forward | 0.31 | 0.26 | 2.80 | 25 | Similar → |
| 15 | Matheus Cunha | Complete Forward | 0.33 | 0.07 | 3.19 | 32 | Similar → |
| 16 | Bukayo Saka | Inside Forward | 0.29 | 0.21 | 2.87 | 19 | Similar → |
| 17 | Jean-Philippe Mateta | Target Man | 0.47 | 0.00 | 2.63 | 29 | Similar → |
| 18 | Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Target Man | 0.46 | 0.04 | 2.49 | 32 | Similar → |
| 19 | Ollie Watkins | Complete Forward | 0.44 | 0.07 | 2.46 | 35 | Similar → |
| 20 | Harry Wilson | Inside Forward | 0.34 | 0.20 | 2.50 | 34 | Similar → |
| 21 | Leandro Trossard | Complete Forward | 0.28 | 0.28 | 2.39 | 30 | Similar → |
| 22 | Cody Gakpo | Inside Forward | 0.24 | 0.17 | 2.89 | 34 | Similar → |
| 23 | Igor Jesus | Target Man | 0.25 | 0.17 | 2.77 | 35 | Similar → |
| 24 | Noah Okafor | Inside Forward | 0.46 | 0.06 | 2.01 | 28 | Similar → |
| 25 | Bryan Mbeumo | Inside Forward | 0.33 | 0.11 | 2.40 | 31 | Similar → |
KP = Key passes · TW = Tackles won · Int = Interceptions · Clr = Clearances · GC = Goals conceded
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best forward in the Premier League right now?
Based on per-90 data in 2025/26, Erling Haaland is the top-ranked forward in the Premier League. Erling Haaland is classified as a Poacher by Rising Transfers' DNA analysis system.
How are Premier League forwards ranked on Rising Transfers?
Rising Transfers ranks forwards using a composite per-90 score across key performance dimensions specific to the position. All statistics are normalised per 90 minutes of play to allow fair comparison between players with different minutes. Only players with 1,350+ minutes (equivalent to approximately 15 full matches) are included to ensure statistical reliability.
What does the DNA archetype mean for forwards?
Each player is assigned a DNA archetype (e.g. Creator, Ball-Winner, Pressing Forward) based on their playing style vector — a 768-dimensional representation of their per-90 performance across 47 metrics. The archetype describes how the player plays, not just their position.
How often is the Premier League forward ranking updated?
Rankings are recalculated weekly as new match data is processed into Rising Transfers' DNA pipeline. The underlying per-90 statistics are sourced from live match data across the Premier League season.
Forwards Rankings in Other Leagues
Other Positions in the Premier League
Rankings are generated by Rising Transfers using per-90 statistics from the 2025/26 Premier League season. Only players with 1,350+ minutes in the current season are included to ensure statistical reliability. Scores are computed using a position-specific composite formula across 47 performance dimensions. Data is refreshed weekly. Learn more about our methodology →
Some players may be excluded due to data availability (e.g. mid-season transfers, injury absences, or cup-only appearances). Rankings reflect on-pitch statistical performance and do not account for team defensive structure or shot quality — elite players on dominant teams may rank lower on volume-based metrics.