Revealed: Europe's hottest hitman... and it's not Erling Haaland
With league action returning soon, we take a look at the players who have been most clinical in front of goal in Europe's top five leagues this season. With players from Brentford to Marseille, we run down the top 10 most prolific players of those to have mustered 50 or more shots.
One of the most influential all-round attacking players this season is Randal Kolo Muani, with the Frankfurt striker one of only five players to register double figures for both goals (11) and assists (10). His goalscoring ability is what he is renowned for, with those 11 goals in the Bundesliga coming from a total of 51 shots, giving him a conversion rate of 21.6%.
Miguel Almiron has been going through a bit of a dry spell in front of goal recently, only scoring twice in 2023, and yet only six players in the Premier League have scored more goals (11) in total than the Newcastle man this season. Compared to those above him in this leaderboard, he is having fewer shots per game (2) and yet he is more reliable, returning a 22% conversion rate from his 50 shots in the league.
Remaining in the Premier League and Ivan Toney has continued to prove that he can do it at the highest level, earning himself an England call up after scoring 16 goals in the league, which only Erling Haaland (28) and Harry Kane (21) can better in England’s top tier. As the focal point of the Brentford attack it is no wonder he has had so many shots (72) and yet his conversion rate (22.2%) has remained at a solid level, emphasising his quality.
The first of five players represented from Ligue 1 is Habib Diallo. Diallo is most definitely playing his part in trying to help Strasbourg fight off relegation scoring 41.2% (14) of his side’s goals in the league this season. Those 14 goals came from 62 shots, giving the Senegalese forward a conversion rate of 22.6%.
The current joint top scorer in Ligue 1 is up next. Despite an underwhelming World Cup with Canada, Jonathan David has not let that affect his league form, scoring 19 goals from 27 appearances, a sum that only three players can better in Europe’s top five leagues this season. These came from 83 shots in total and thus gives the Lille striker a conversion rate of 22.9% as he looks to aid his side back into the Champions League.
5. Alexandre Lacazette – 23.0%
A name that many Arsenal fans may be surprised at seeing on this list is their former number nine Alexandre Lacazette. In his final season in the Premier League, Lacazette only managed to find the net on four occasions, and yet this season; he is well in the race for the Golden Boot in France having scored 17 goals, two off the leading duo David and Kylian Mbappe (both 19). He has achieved this feat from only 74 shots this season giving him a conversion rate of 23%.
The only team who have a representative from Serie A is not Napoli, Lazio, Inter nor AC Milan, but 17th-placed Spezia. MBala Nzola sits in fourth position in this list having returned a conversion rate of 24% this season, while only Victor Osimhen (21) and Lautaro Martinez (14) have scored more league goals (12). Nzola has scored 52.2% of his side’s goals, the biggest contributor of goals to a single team in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
Another name Gunners fans will be all too familiar with is Marseille’s Alexis Sanchez. Despite being a winger by trade, Sanchez was very much known for his goalscoring abilities, though was unable to replicate that at Manchester. It didn’t quite work out for Alexis at Inter either, but since his move to France, he has really hit the ground running, scoring 12 goals so far in Ligue 1, and returning a 24% conversion rate.
The words 'clinical' and 'goals' can’t be mentioned without Haaland, and he of course is one of Europe’s most prolific marksmen. The Manchester City forward has had 90 shots over the course of the season, which only five players in Europe’s top five leagues can better. From those 90 shots, Haaland has scored 28 goals, which is at least seven more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues, and has seen him yield an impressive 31.1% conversion rate.
The player who tops the list is veteran forward Wissam Ben Yedder. The former Sevilla man has been vital in Monaco’s Champions League chase in Ligue 1, scoring 17 goals, accounting for 29.8% of their 57 goals, and putting himself well in the race for the Golden Boot. He has still only had 50 shots, and as a result of his goalscoring form boasts a conversion rate of 34% this season, the best in Europe’s top five leagues so far.
