Premium imports
Sergio Aguero made history in Manchester City’s 6-1 drubbing of Aston Villa, netting a hat-trick to become the top foreign goalscorer in Premier League history.
The Argentine hitman has made the net bulge 177 times in the English top flight already, and he’s not done yet. So who has he surpassed to achieve this landmark? Read on to find out…
50. Freddie Ljungberg (48 goals)
All but two of the Swede’s Premier League goals came during his hugely successful spell at Arsenal, who he helped to two league titles and three FA Cups. The others came during a less memorable and injury-stricken season with West Ham.
49. Nolberto Solano (49)
The Peruvian spent the largest part of his time in England over two spells at Newcastle, but also found the net in the shirts of Aston Villa and West Ham.
48= Cesc Fabregas (50)
The elegant midfielder also had an eye for goal, hitting 35 goals over eight years at Arsenal before departing for Barcelona. On his return to England with Chelsea in 2014, he added a further 15 to his tally, winning his first two Premier League titles in the process.
48= Paulo Wanchope (50)
The charismatic Costa Rican plundered a half-century of goals for Derby County, West Ham and Manchester City between 1997 and 2004.
48= Edin Dzeko (50)
The Bosnian played a key role in Manchester City’s maiden Premier League title win, scoring a late equaliser on *that* final day win over QPR to allow Aguero to do his thing.
That was one of 50 goals Dzeko struck for the Citizens as he won two league titles and an FA Cup in five seasons.
45= Juan Mata (51)
The first player on this list to still be active, the silky Spaniard has time on his side to move further up the rankings after notching 51 goals over the last nine years between spells at Chelsea and Manchester United.
45= Dirk Kuyt (51)
The Dutchman is likely to be remembered as a functional, rather than prolific, forward, but he did make his mark with a not-to-be-sniffed-at 51 goals in 208 Premier League games for Liverpool. His hat-trick against Manchester United, with a combined distance of five yards, was a particular highlight.
45= Christian Eriksen (51)
The Dane is still a Premier League player, but there are doubts over how long that will be the case. Whether he stays or goes this month, there is no doubt that Eriksen has made a huge contribution to the Tottenham cause since his 2013 arrival.
42. Diego Costa (52)
The snarling menace of a forward was arguably one of the most effective strikers the Premier League has seen at his best, plundering 52 goals in 89 league games for Chelsea before receiving a text from boss Antonio Conte telling him that he was free to move on.
41. Javier Hernandez (53)
‘Chicharito’ showed an instinctive eye for goal after bursting onto the scene with Manchester United in 2010 and scored 37 times for the Red Devils before returning with West Ham in 2017 and adding another 16 top-flight strikes to his total.
40= Nwankwo Kanu (54)
The towering Nigerian graced English football for 13 years, enjoying spells at Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth. After helping the Gunners to two Premier League titles, he scored the winner in Pompey’s shock FA Cup win of 2007/08.
40= Gustavo Poyet (54)
The Uruguayan netted an impressive 54 goals from midfield over seven years in London spent between Chelsea and Tottenham.
38= Eidur Gudjohnsen (55)
A talented Icelandic footballer before it was cool, Gudjohnsen burst onto the scene with Chelsea to earn a big move to Barcelona, before later adding to his Premier League goal tally during spells with Spurs, Stoke and Fulham.
38= Roberto Firmino (55)
Bobby Firmino is certain to rise further up these rankings in the next weeks and months. The Brazilian has been superb at spearheading Jurgen Klopp’s dazzling front three, helping get the best out of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane either side of him.
36. Tim Cahill (56)
The Australian became renowned for loving a header during his seven-year spell at Everton and left the club in 2012 with an impressive 56 goals to his name.
35= Harry Kewell (57)
A huge talent, Kewell would surely have scored more than 57 goals had he not suffered from injuries. The Australian’s ascendancy began at Leeds, where he scored 45 goals to earn a move to Liverpool, but his time at Anfield wasn’t as much of a success – despite the 2004/05 Champions League win.
35= Clint Dempsey (57)
Dempsey was a revelation at Fulham after his 2007 move from New England Revolution, scoring 50 goals for the club before moving onto Spurs and adding another seven in his single season at White Hart Lane.
35= David Silva (57)
The midfield wizard only has a few months left to add to his tally as his superb spell with Manchester City draws to a close – but you wouldn’t put it past him to produce yet more magic before the season is out.
32. Gianfranco Zola (58)
Arguably one of the most instantly likeable players ever to grace the Premier League, the pocket-sized Italian scored regularly as well as spectacularly. He left Chelsea in 2003 with 58 league goals to his name, as well as winners’ medals in the FA Cup (twice), League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
31. Yaya Toure (59)
There were times when Toure seemed simply unstoppable at Manchester City. The rangy midfielder could seemingly score from any distance or angle and his tally of 59 strikes in 230 appearances for the club was crucial to helping them win three Premier League titles in that time.
30. Gylfi Sigurdsson (60)
Another player who is far from done yet, the Everton playmaker’s penchant for a blistering long-range strike or whipped free-kick makes his goals very enjoyable to watch. His spell at Tottenham, either side of two with Swansea, may not have worked out, but he has become an important figure again at Everton.
29= Robert Pires (63)
Another key member of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side, Pires notched 63 goals from the wing for Arsenal between 2000 and 2006, helping the club to two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a heartbreaking runner-up spot in the Champions League.
29= Alexis Sanchez (63)
Unstoppable at Arsenal, unwatchable at Manchester United. The Chilean’s form in the Premier League has been a mixed bag, but he was simply scintillating after arriving in north London from Barcelona, notching 60 of his 63 goals with the Gunners.
27. Mohamed Salah (66)
It’s safe to say nobody quite saw Salah’s impact at Liverpool coming after his previous Premier League spell with Chelsea. The Egyptian returned from Roma a player transformed, and his incredible form in front of goal has been critical to a transformation of the Reds from perennial underachievers to the dominant force in England and Europe.
26. Paolo Di Canio (67)
The fiery Italian always guaranteed entertainment, but he had bags of talent to go with the theatrics and bagged 67 top-flight goals during his time in England. His best spell came at West Ham between 1999 and 2003, where he scored a flying volley against Wimbledon that has gone down as one of the best goals ever scored in the Premier League.
25. Luis Suarez (69)
The Uruguayan was a sensation at Anfield, almost single-handedly dragging Liverpool to their first Premier League title under Brendan Rodgers. His record of 69 goals in 110 league games is phenomenal, and has seen him go down as one of the Reds’ best-ever signings.
24= Christian Benteke (70)
Although the goals have dried up in recent seasons, there was a time when Benteke was one of the Premier League’s most dangerous marksmen. The Belgian hit double figures in three consecutive seasons with Aston Villa before notching nine in his one campaign at Liverpool, but he has struggled at Crystal Palace since an impressive debut season in which he netted 15 goals.
24= Eric Cantona (70)
One of the most charismatic figures ever to grace the Premier League, Cantona made a big impression in just five years in the Premier League between Leeds and Manchester United, scoring 70 goals, winning four league titles, and kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan.
22. Sadio Mane (77)
After finishing as joint-top scorer in the Premier League last season, Mane has continued his sensational form this term as Liverpool run away with the league. The Senegal international impressed over two seasons at Southampton but has taken his game to another level entirely under Jurgen Klopp – and the best may be yet to come.
21. Olivier Giroud (78)
Giroud’s scoring record in the Premier League is not to be sniffed at, as the France striker’s total of 78 goals during his spells with Arsenal and Chelsea puts him in illustrious company. However, his time at Stamford Bridge has been less prolific, and he could be on the way out soon.
20= Louis Saha (84)
Saha burst onto the scene with Fulham in 2000 after a half-season loan at Newcastle, and his prolific form (53 goals in 117 games) at Craven Cottage earned him a move to Manchester United four years later. Saha scored 28 times at Old Trafford, and just one less at Everton, before rounding up his Premier League adventure with less successful spells at Tottenham and Sunderland.
20= Carlos Tevez (84)
Tevez won Premier League titles with both Manchester clubs after initially impressing at West Ham, but it was at the Etihad that he really made his mark in England, with 58 goals for the Citizens.
20= Cristiano Ronaldo (84)
There’s little doubt that Ronaldo would be far higher up this list if he had hung around for longer, but the Portuguese winger’s six years at Old Trafford were full of highlights and his 84-goal haul only tells part of the story.
17= Eden Hazard (85)
A modern great for Chelsea, the Belgian departed for Real Madrid last summer with a superb return of 85 goals in 245 goals from the wing. His performances helped the Blues to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and two Europa League triumphs.
17= Fernando Torres (85)
The Liverpool Torres was a force to be reckoned with, smashing in 65 goals in 102 goals to earn a £50 million move to Chelsea. It was never the same after that, as El Nino could only muster 20 strikes in 110 games in west London before eventually returning home to Atletico Madrid.
15. Dennis Bergkamp (87)
Think of the Premier League’s best foreign imports and Bergkamp will quickly come to mind. The Dutchman was integral to Arsenal’s success at the turn of the millennium and was a joy to watch, scoring 87 goals for the Gunners and winning three league titles.
14= Mark Viduka (92)
Viduka scored wherever he went, and ended up with a high position on this list despite never featuring for any of the supposed Premier League heavyweights. His record at Leeds was just under a goal every two games, and he continued to bulge the net at Middlesbrough before finishing up at Newcastle.
14= Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (92)
Much more than just a super-sub, the baby-faced assassin was a regular supplier of goals for one of, if not the, best Sir Alex Ferguson side at Manchester United. His Champions League final winner against Bayern Munich will always be his most iconic goal in a Red Devils shirt, but there was no shortage of memorable moments on the domestic scene.
12. Dimitar Berbatov (94)
A scorer of spectacular goals, as well as lots of goals, the Bulgarian excelled at Tottenham, Manchester United and Fulham, winning two Premier League titles at Old Trafford and conquering the Golden Boot in 2010/11.
11=Yakubu (95)
Yakubu may not have been as accomplished a footballer as some of players he is rubbing shoulders with on this list, but the Nigerian deserves great respect for his return of 95 Premier League goals over spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn.
11= Ruud van Nistelrooy (95)
Van Nistelrooy’s scoring record at Manchester United was exceptional, as the Dutchman found the net 95 times in just 150 games to fire Fergie and co. to the 2002/03 Premier League title – the same year he won the Golden Boot and was named Player of the Season.
9. Emmanuel Adebayor (97)
While his famous celebration for Manchester City against Arsenal, when he ran the length of the pitch to do a knee-slide in front of travelling Gunners fans, sticks in the mind, it was just one of many times the Togolese striker hit the net in the Premier League.
He showed in spells with Arsenal, City and Tottenham that he could perform with some of England’s top clubs, before struggling at Crystal Palace.
8. Didier Drogba (104)
What more can be said about Drogba? A Chelsea great, a four-time Premier League winner, and one of the instrumental figures in their Champions League triumph of 2011/12. Among the Ivorian’s plethora of individual awards are two Golden Boots: from 2006/07 and 2009/10.
7. Romelu Lukaku (113)
Lukaku has found his swagger again at Inter this season following his summer departure from Manchester United, where he was often criticised despite a commendable return of 28 Premier League goals in 66 appearances. That came after prolific spells at Everton and West Brom, too – Chelsea are likely to rue letting him go back in 2014 without giving him a proper chance in the first team.
6. Dwight Yorke (123)
Yorke’s spell at Manchester United was arguably his most memorable, but that came after nine successful years at Aston Villa, where he scored 73 league goals between the Premier League and old First Division.
He added 52 at Old Trafford, forming a lethal partnership with Andy Cole, but subsequent spells at Blackburn, Birmingham and Sunderland were never quite the same.
5. Nicolas Anelka (126)
A man of many clubs, Anelka was also a man of many goals. The sulking Frenchman first emerged at Arsenal in the late ‘90s, scoring 23 goals for the Gunners, while he hit 37 at Manchester City and 38 for Chelsea in his most prolific spells.
4. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (129)
Hasselbaink became Chelsea’s record signing when he joined from Atletico Madrid for £15m in 2000 after winning the Golden Boot with Leeds two seasons before.
He was a hit at Stamford Bridge, netting 69 goals in 136 games and winning another Golden Boot in 2000/01, before heading on to Middlesbrough and Charlton afterwards.
3. Robin van Persie (144)
Van Persie’s Premier League record of 96 goals in 194 games for Arsenal was simply superb, and he carried that form to Manchester United in 2012 as he secured a second consecutive Golden Boot award.
Between 2006/07 and 2014/15, the Dutchman hit double figures in seven out of nine seasons. A scoring sensation.
2. Thierry Henry (176)
One of the greatest players to ever grace the Premier League, Henry was the driving force behind the great Arsenal side of early 2000s, firing them to two Premier League titles and winning an astonishing four Golden Boot awards along the way.
1. Sergio Aguero (177)
It is scary to think just how far in front Aguero could go in this list before he’s done. Is Alan Shearer’s all-time scoring record of 260 goals even at risk? That may seem like a long shot, but Aguero’s consistency is startling.
He’s already at number four in the all-time rankings and at the age of 31, with a host of creative wizards around him, he isn’t showing signs of slowing down any time soon. The Argentine has hit double figures in each of his nine seasons at the Etihad and passed the 20-goal mark in six of them.
