Forwards who could be on the move despite high price tags
With many top European clubs scouring the transfer market for forwards, there’s a noticeable struggle to find top-class options. And for the few who do fit the bill, the reported transfer fees are exorbitant.
This raises an important question: why is there a shortage of high-quality strikers at the moment?
One explanation lies in the tactical evolution of the game. Many teams no longer rely on traditional, out-and-out goal-scorers. Instead, they prefer a more versatile centre-forward — someone who can drop deep, link up play, hold the ball, and create chances for wide players.
In today’s systems, a striker is not just expected to finish moves, but also to facilitate them. As a result, the role of the classic poacher has been replaced by forwards who are as much creators as they are scorers.
Here, we take a look at five centre-forwards who could be on the move this summer.
Alexander Isak | Newcastle United FC
Swedish forward Alexander Isak could be at the forefront of a massive transfer tussle between Newcastle United and current Premier League champions Liverpool.
While there have been no reports of discussions between the two clubs yet, rumours are rife, suggesting Liverpool are interested in bringing the Magpies’ most prized asset to Anfield this summer. There have also been reports of other top clubs like Arsenal and Barcelona being interested in Isak.
Isak made a move to Newcastle United in 2022 from Real Sociedad for a transfer fee reported to be around €70 million, including €5 million in add-ons, which was a record fee for Newcastle United.
Isak went on to prove why Newcastle made him their most expensive signing. During his time at St James’ Park, he has scored 62 goals and bagged 11 assists in 109 appearances.
With the Reds’ out-of-favour forward Darwin Núñez having been linked with a move away from Anfield, Liverpool are on the lookout for a new world-class striker.
However, Newcastle do not want to part ways with their talismanic forward, who is under contract until 2028. Moreover, having qualified for the Champions League next season, they really do not have the need to sell him and would want to keep hold of their vital players going into the 2025/26 season.
Transfermarkt values Isak at €120 million, though Newcastle are unlikely to let their most-prized asset leave for that amount. If anything, they are looking to bring in a new strike partner for him and have been linked with Brighton & Hove Albion’s João Pedro. Moreover, they are also willing to break their wage structure in order to make Isak their highest-paid player in order to keep hold of him.
Benjamin Šeško | RB Leipzig
Young Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško is attracting interest from a few mainland European heavyweights, and there have also been strong links to Arsenal, whose boss Mikel Arteta is known to be a fan of the player.
Šeško joined German Bundesliga team RB Leipzig in July 2023 on a five-year contract for a transfer fee of €24 million from RB Salzburg of the Austrian Bundesliga. Ever since his move, Šeško has been a regular starter for the club, having made a total of 87 appearances across all competitions and scoring 39 goals and providing eight assists.
The Slovene’s performances in the Bundesligen have been monitored by top clubs for a while. The Gunners inquired about him last year. With their go-to forwards Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus having been out with injuries this season, Arsenal found it difficult to score from open play, mostly relying on set pieces to get out of trouble. Hence, it’s imperative for Mikel Arteta’s side to bring in a proper finisher.
However, RB Leipzig aren’t willing to let go of their marksman without a high fee. While there have been indications that Šeško is willing to move to North London, according to Sky Sports, Leipzig are demanding a fee between £68.5 million and £85.5 million. Such a high valuation for a young player who has only had two seasons in a top European league is one of the reasons Arsenal are still looking at other options.
Viktor Gyökeres | Sporting CP
Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres is another wanted man. With the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool having shown interest in him, the Sporting forward is very likely to be on the move this summer.
Gyökeres joined the Primeira Liga winners from EFL Championship side Coventry City in July 2023 for €24 million. It’s safe to say that the faith the Portuguese club put in him has been paid off with his performances over the past two seasons. The Sweden international has been one of Europe’s top scorers, having registered 97 goals and 28 assists in 102 appearances for Sporting and helping them win the Portuguese top flight twice and a Taça de Portugal this season.
Arsenal and Man United seem to be at the forefront for his signature, while there have also been recent rumours of Liverpool being interested.
As per Transfermarkt, Gyökeres’ current market value is €75 million. However, Sporting president Frederico Varandas has already stated that, even though the club would be willing to let him go for less than his €100m release clause, “open” negotiations are likely to ensue.
This is another case of a club asking for an exorbitant transfer fee, taking advantage of a lack of proven strikers in the market and the fact that top Premier League clubs are interested in their star forward.
Victor Osimhen | SSC Napoli
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is another forward who seems to be attracting interest from a host of clubs. Al-Hilal and Chelsea have been linked with the Napoli striker, who was on loan to Galatasaray this past season. The Süper Lig champions are also remarkably in the mix for a permanent move for Osimhen, while Manchester United, Al-Hilal, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all monitoring his situation.
Osimhen joined Napoli in July 2020 for a club record fee of €78.9 million from French club Lille. He spent four seasons in Naples, registering 76 goals and 18 assists in 133 appearances and helping them win the Serie A title in the 2022/23 season.
There were strong rumours of a move to Chelsea last summer, but a deal couldn’t be finalised. One big hindrance for Osimhen’s suitors is his huge wage demands. The Nigeria international is on €192,308 per week before bonuses, and any move would entail a significant bump in these numbers.
Napoli would also like to cash in on their prized asset at this point. According to Transfermarkt, Osimhen is worth €70 million in the current market. He also has a €75m release clause in his contract, which ends next summer.
While it’s almost certain that Osimhen will leave Napoli this summer, given the number of clubs interested in him, it will be interesting to see who chooses to activate his release clause and meet his wage demands.
Hugo Ekitiké | Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt’s young French forward Hugo Ekitiké is also linked with a move away from the German Bundesliga this season. With Liverpool and Chelsea having shown interest in the 23-year-old, this could be another transfer saga with several stages of negotiations, given Frankfurt are looking for a massive fee.
Ekitiké joined Frankfurt initially on loan from French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain in February 2024 with an option to buy, which the German side exercised later in the year, paying PSG €16.5 million and handing Ekitiké a five-year contract.
Ekitiké had a breakthrough 2024/25 season with Frankfurt, registering 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances, which helped the team secure a top-three finish in the league and qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The Reims academy graduate is being monitored by Premier League clubs Chelsea and Liverpool, who are desperately looking for a striker. However, Die Adler won’t part ways with Ekitiké for cheap, having sold Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January.
Transfermarkt values Ekitiké at €55 million, but Sky Sports reports that Frankfurt are looking for a fee closer to €100 million. This is yet another instance of a club asking for arguably an unreasonable amount of money for a player who has only had one good season and is fairly unproven. Again, this is down to a lack of many proven top strikers in the market and top Premier League sides being desperate for them.
