Speed is an extremely valuable asset for a footballer and, as one of the best leagues in the world, it’s not surprising that the Premier League has some of the paciest players around.
Pace is very hard to defend against and the majority of the league’s quickest players are forwards, who can use their physical strength to threaten defences. Eight of the top 10 fastest players in the Premier League play in forward positions.
The competition is such that Arsenal's Reiss Nelson, Tottenham's Arnaut Danjuma and Manchester City's Erling Haaland don’t make the top five in the list compiled by the Premier League using official tracking data.
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford is the fastest player at Manchester United but he was not among the elite in the 2022/23 season. Harvey Barnes tops the list at Leicester, Allan Saint-Maximin at Newcastle, Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace and Tyrone Mings at Aston Villa – but none of them made the cut.
Without further ado, here are the top five fastest players in the Premier League from last season.
5. Darwin Nunez – 36.53km/h
The Liverpool striker had a mixed debut campaign in the Premier League following his £85million move from Benfica, scoring nine goals in 29 games for Jurgen Klopp’s side. But while he failed to convert all the chances that came his way, the Uruguayan’s pace is not in doubt.
Nunez is absolutely rapid and Liverpool often looked to utilise it on the break by getting the ball to him quickly on the left side of their attack. As his confidence grew, he terrorised defences. Liverpool fans will be hoping for more next season.
4. Anthony Gordon – 36.61km/h
Gordon played for Everton and Newcastle last season, with a £45m transfer taking him from Merseyside to Tyneside in January. The 22-year-old winger is highly rated and has the raw pace which makes him so exciting to watch.
He managed only four goals in 32 Premier League games last season, but with Saint-Maximin on the same team, the Magpies will have one of the quickest attacks in the division in 2023/24.
3. Mykhaylo Mudryk – 36.63km/h
Another high-profile signing who struggled to make an impact upon arrival. Mudryk joined Chelsea in a £87m move from Shakhtar Donetsk after the Blues hijacked Arsenal’s transfer for the Ukrainian winger.
Mudryk showed flashes of his talent, but playing in a poor Chelsea team did not help him settle. His speed over the ground certainly suggests he’s got the ingredients to become the player Chelsea threw so much money at.
2. Brennan Johnson – 36.70km/h
Nottingham Forest stayed in the Premier League following their promotion from the Championship and Johnson had plenty to do with that. The 22-year-old forward grabbed eight goals and three assists for Steve Cooper’s side and frequently caught the eye with his sharp movement.
Johnson is a real talent and, if he continues to play with such assuredness then Forest might struggle to hold onto him.
1. Kyle Walker – 37.31km/h
He may be 33 – nine years older than Mudryk, Gordon and Johnson – but he remains the undisputed speed king of the Premier League.
Walker’s pace is legendary for Manchester City and allows Pep Guardiola to play a high defensive line and risk putting players further forward in possession. The City manager knows that in Walker he has a player fast enough to get back and snuff out any danger.
