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Erling Haaland exploded in Manchester City colours. |
At Euro 2012, Spain won the championship with Cesc Fabregas playing as a “false 9”. At the 2014 World Cup, Germany – also following the same model – used Thomas Muller in the role of a “flexible 9” until Joachim Loew was forced to play Miroslav Klose, then 36 years old, in the quarter-finals.
That story was once seen as a farewell to the traditional centre-forward. However, just a few years later, the Premier League is witnessing a strong comeback of true strikers, with Isak, Gyökeres and Ekitiké becoming symbols of the new era.
The return of the "true" center forward
Despite being overlooked, the striker has never completely disappeared. In 2014/15, Sergio Aguero scored 26 goals to become the Premier League's top scorer. Harry Kane (21), Diego Costa (20) and Charlie Austin (18) were close behind.
In Serie A, Mauro Icardi and Luca Toni both scored 22 goals, while in La Liga, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 48 goals, far ahead of Messi (43) and Griezmann (22). The truth is that strikers still existed, but football at that time favored wide players like Messi, Robben, Hazard - players who could create both goals and play.
That only changed when Erling Haaland arrived. Pep Guardiola, a coach who was not keen on the traditional number 9, signed Haaland and accepted to adjust the system that had been operating “without a striker” for many years. The result? 52 goals in 53 games, a historic treble for Man City in the 2022/23 season. The weight of a pure striker, with the ability to turn half-chances into goals, has made the entire Premier League look back.
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Isak is making waves in the summer transfer window of 2025. |
In the 2023/24 season, Arsenal finished with 89 points but still finished second, largely due to the lack of a true "killer". Kai Havertz scored 13 goals, Gabriel Jesus only had 8 goals - too few for a team competing for the championship.
That's why Arsenal spent £64 million to bring Viktor Gyökeres to Emirates in the summer of 2025. The Swedish striker scored 43 goals in 50 matches for Sporting CP last season, an impressive number even though many people still doubted his ability to adapt to the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Liverpool surprised everyone by signing Hugo Ekitike - a young striker (23 years old) with the potential to develop into a complete striker. This deal shows that the "Red Brigade" may be preparing for the post-Mohamed Salah era, when the Egyptian star has turned 33 and is no longer in top form like a few seasons ago.
Alexander Isak is the name that has made the transfer market explode. With 31 goals and 12 assists in 67 Premier League games for Newcastle, Isak is not only a sharp striker but also possesses the ability to move intelligently, creating space for teammates.
1.9 meters tall, good speed, impressive ball handling ability in tight spaces, Isak is the model of a modern striker: both a wall, a goal scorer, and a support player.
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Liverpool surprised everyone by signing Hugo Ekitike. |
Newcastle certainly don't want to lose him, especially since Isak only earns £120,000 a week (about £6.2 million a year), much lower than his value. They are willing to ask for £140 million - enough to recruit a new striker like RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.
However, Isak seems to be no longer satisfied with his current role, which opens up opportunities for Liverpool or Chelsea - teams that are in dire need of upgrading their attack.
The new era of the “modern number 9”
What Isak, Gyokeres and Ekitike have in common is that they are no longer confined to the image of a classic striker. They combine the skills of many generations of strikers: the ability to make a wall like Alan Shearer, run into space like Thierry Henry, and score goals like Ruud van Nistelrooy.
These players even participate in pressing, moving wide, and stretching the defense - indispensable qualities in modern football.
The 2024/25 season could mark the return of the true centre-forward to the Premier League. Arsenal have Gyokeres. Liverpool have experimented with Ekitike. Chelsea have Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.
And if a “blockbuster” named Isak breaks out, the most attractive tournament in the world will witness the strong return of “number 9s” - not only to score goals, but also to reshape the way the whole team plays.
Source: https://znews.vn/premier-league-khep-lai-ky-nguyen-khong-tien-dao-post1569558.html
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