Nottingham Forest duo's transfer value explained amid…

Nottingham Forest duo's transfer value explained amid Erling Haaland comparison

Two Nottingham Forest players are among the best value for money attacking signings in the Premier League this season.

With some big names joining the biggest league in football this past summer window, managers, fans and club owners alike will have been hoping for a return on their often significant investment. Whether a massive marquee name or a lesser-known low-key deal, every new signing is a risk for the clubs and players involved, particularly with players expected to provide a team’s goals and assists.

But with six combined goals and assists so far this campaign, club record signing Morgan Gibbs-White has certainly justified his near-£26 million transfer fee from Wolverhampton Wanderers. That's an average cost of £4.33m per goal or assist for the Reds attacker, who set up both of Brennan Johnson's goals in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Leicester City.

However, teammate Taiwo Awoniyi - who is currently sidelined with injury - has four goals, at a cost of just £17m, meaning his goal involvements have cost £4.25m. Only Erling Haaland has provided better value for money since arriving in the summer.

The Norwegian tops the list thanks to his ridiculous 24 goals or assists so far, at a cost of £2.2m each due to his £52.8m fee. Fourth on the list is Gabriel Jesus, who arrived at Arsenal from Manchester City for around £46m this season. Since then he has scored or assisted ten times costing £4.6m at a time.

Raheem Sterling, who joined Chelsea for £50m after also leaving City in the summer, has six goals or assists so far, at a cost of £8.2m each. Following Sterling, the next best attacking signings when comparing cost per goal/assist are Brenden Aaronson of Leeds (£9.6m), Darwin Nunez of Liverpool (£10m), Gianluca Scamacca of West Ham (£10.56m), Luis Sinisterra of Leeds (£11m) and Lucas Paqueta, also of West Ham (£12.6m).

At the other end of the value table is Antony, who joined Manchester United for an eye-watering £83.6m in the summer. With only three goals or assists since then, that means each of his goal involvements has cost a whopping £27.9m.

Faring little better is Richarlison, with the Brazilian’s £51m move from Everton to Tottenham providing just two league assists and no goals, costing £25.5m each. Despite his 89th-minute winner this weekend, injury troubles mean Newcastle’s Alexander Isak only has three goal involvements for his £62m fee, costing more than £20m each.

Wolves duo Goncalo Guedes and Sasa Kalajdzic provided only two goals/assists between them despite costing a combined fee of just under £45m. However, Kalajdzic’s long-term injury means this is perhaps an unfair reflection.

2022/23 Major attacking signings

Rank / Player / Club / Goals/Assists / Fee (£M) / Cost per G/A

1 Erling Haaland / Manchester City / 24 / 52.8 / 2.2

2 Taiwo Awoniyi / Nottingham Forest / 4 / 17 / 4.25

3 Morgan Gibbs-White / Nottingham Forest / 6 / 25.96 / 4.33

4 Gabriel Jesus / Arsenal / 10 / 45.94 / 4.6

5 Raheem Sterling / Chelsea / 6 / 49.45 / 8.2

6 Brenden Aaronson / Leeds United / 3 / 28.9 / 9.6

7 Darwin Nunez / Liverpool / 7 / 70.4 / 10

8 Gianluca Scamacca / West Ham / 3 / 31.68 / 10.56

9 Luis Sinisterra / Leeds United / 2 / 22 / 11

10 Lucas Paqueta / West Ham / 3 / 37.79 / 12.6