Premier League No.9s: The 2026 Form Guide – Ranks 15 to 6

Goals are gold dust in the Premier League. Against elite defences and unforgiving schedules, proper No.9s separate the nearly men from the serious contenders. With that in mind, here’s my 2026 form guide for the division’s best centre-forwards – counting down from 15 to 6 – judged on current output, recent form and influence on their sides. Eligibility note: players must be listed as a centre-forward as their main position on Transfermarkt, so wide forwards like Bryan Mbeumo don’t make the cut.

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15. Kai Havertz (Arsenal)

He won Chelsea a Champions League and crossed the divide to Arsenal in 2023. After a ropey bedding-in period, Havertz looked far more at home leading the line for Mikel Arteta, knitting moves together and giving the Gunners a focal point many doubted he could provide. This term he’s been hamstrung by injury (2025/26: 2 apps, 0 goals), but with fitness restored, expect his movement and timing to sharpen Arsenal’s edge again. The irony? Arsenal often look more fluid with him up top than with a traditional poacher.

14. Eli Kroupi (Bournemouth)

Signed from Lorient and barely old enough to rent a car, the 19-year-old France U21 marksman has hit the ground sprinting on the south coast. Eight goals in 19 league outings tells you he belongs at this level. He’s direct, brave and tidy in tight spaces; the next step is starting more often and sustaining that burst across 90 minutes. Keep this up and Bournemouth’s phones will be buzzing in the summer.

13. Raúl Jiménez (Fulham)

The Wolves talisman before that horrific 2020 head injury, Jiménez has rebuilt at Fulham with admirable nous. He’s no longer a volume scorer (2025/26: 22 apps, 5 goals), but his hold-up play, angles and decoy runs still make Marco Silva’s side tick. You’d want him next to a runner rather than as a lone gun, but the brain remains razor sharp.

12. Danny Welbeck (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Thought we’d seen the last of Peak Welbz? Not a bit of it. At 35, he’s purring under Brighton’s slick system and has 8 in 23 this season. The timing’s back, the touch is velvet and he’s stretching defences like it’s 2013. Whisper it, but if he stays fit, there’s a cheeky outside case for England’s 2026 squad. A renaissance few predicted, and all the more enjoyable for it.

11. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United)

Left Everton with a body held together by tape, arrived at Leeds looking reborn. Nine goals in 22, including a devastating run of seven in six across November and December, have powered Daniel Farke’s side. He bullies centre-halves, pins full-backs at set plays and attacks crosses like it’s personal. Form and fitness are the only question marks – when they’re right, he’s a nightmare.

10. Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal)

He was a juggernaut at Sporting CP, smashing 54 across all competitions last season, but north London is a different jungle. Six in 22 for Arsenal so far, with the step-up in pace exposing some rough edges in his link play. Even so, the raw tools are there: power, directness and a nose for chaos. If the combinations click, the numbers will rise – and quickly.

9. Matheus Cunha (Manchester United)

Wolves lost their spark when he left – they’ve nosedived to the bottom – and United have gained a relentless presser who knits attacks from awkward angles. The finish isn’t always there (2025/26: 20 apps, 5 goals), but the intent is. Under Michael Carrick, you sense there’s another gear to find; add 10% more ruthlessness and Old Trafford will have a cult hero on its hands.

8. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)

Not the glitziest name, but tell that to centre-backs who’ve felt his studs on their shins. Fourteen in 2024/25 set the tone, and he’s on eight in 23 this time. He flew out of the blocks, then cooled off after his seventh of the season – hence the transfer whispers around Selhurst. Even so, he gives Palace structure and menace, and that’s priceless.

7. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Unai Emery turned Villa into Champions League operators and Watkins has been the metronome up top. Nineteen league goals in 2023/24, and although 2025/26 started slower, he’s rediscovered the groove with five in his last six to sit on eight from 23. Relentless running, clever angles, improved composure – he’s the model modern No.9. Still Harry Kane’s understudy for England, but that says more about Kane than Watkins.

6. João Pedro (Chelsea)

Rocked up at Stamford Bridge in 2025 and looked instantly at home. Nine goals in his first 24 Premier League outings for the Blues underline the point: he links beautifully, presses with purpose and arrives in the box at just the right moments. Goals at the Club World Cup hinted at a higher ceiling, and with Brazil caps already on the shelf, Chelsea may have a star evolving in real time.

That’s the ledger from 15 through 6. The top five? That’s where the heavy artillery live – and yes, you know who I’m on about. Stay tuned for the business end of this ranking.