SOCCER
The best forwards in Europe: Kane, Mbappé, Osimhen current situations...
Benzema’s departure leaves a huge void at Real Madrid. Haaland, Mbappé and Kane have hit big numbers this season.
Goals are what bring teams closer to glory, from lifting a trophy to gaining promotion, avoiding relegation, or qualifying for European competitions. In short, it is the difference between winning and losing and that is why the striker is the most coveted position in modern football.
Real Madrid are the most notable case in point. Karim Benzema left the club after 14 seasons as the second highest goalscorer in the club’s history with 354 goals. As it stands, Joselu will be in charge of trying to match the French striker’s goalscoring figures. The former Espanyol man was the third highest scorer in LaLiga in 2022-23 with 16 goals, three less than Benzema. But will Madrid end up signing a first-choice 9 this summer?
Here are the best forwards in Europe, and their current situations.
Haaland will continue to score goals in England
The Norwegian striker won the treble in his first season with Manchester City and broke several records. He smashed the record held by Andy Cole (Newcastle, 1993-94) and Alan Shearer (Blackburn, 1994-95) of 34 goals in a single Premier League season (he scored 36). His first season as a City player ended with 52 goals in 53 games played. The Etihad Stadium hopes to enjoy the Norwegian’s goals until 2027.
Kane the target for top clubs
The England striker’s goalscoring prowess is more vibrant than ever. He is Spurs’ all-time leading scorer with 280 goals. Last summer he was on the verge of a move but ended up staying in London. It now appears that his departure is more than likely to happen. Real Madrid, United and PSG are among the clubs who have enquired about the Englishman’s situation.
Mbappé's future up in the air
PSG are scouring the market in search of strike partners for Kylian Mbappé. Lionel Messi is leaving Paris and Neymar could also be on his way. Although Mbappé has confirmed that he will continue to wear the PSG shirt next season, it seems that it will be his last. Reports suggest that in the summer of 2024, the Frenchman will leave the Parc des Princes, as he has no intention of activating the clause to renew for another year. PSG would lose their all-time top scorer. Kane could be Mbappé’s partner or even replacement in attack.
Lewandowski
The Poland international took on the challenge of arriving at a Barcelona team in construction and hit the ground running. At 34 years of age and in his first season in the Catalan city, he was the top scorer in LaLiga with 22 goals, and scored a total of 32 in all competitions. He also has the third best record in the domestic competition in terms of goals per minute, with a goal every 132 minutes. The veteran striker continues to prove himself in amongst Europe’s elite.
Osimhen
Victor Osimhen was one of the players of the 2022-23 season. The Napoli striker was one of the key men responsible for the Partenopei’s third ever scudetto. His 26 goals in 32 games made him the top marksman in Italy, and he has a contract until 2025. PSG, Bayern Munich and Manchester United are among the clubs with whom the Nigerian has been linked. However, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has been clear about his situation on numerous occasions. “We spoke to Victor before the party, we have an agreement to extend his contract for two more years”.