Proving the case: Nunez much better investment than Antony and Mudryk. Haaland is on another level
| Updated: February 29, 2024 
Manchester City’s resounding 6-2 victory over Luton Town in the FA Cup, punctuated by Erling Haaland’s remarkable five-goal haul, contrasted sharply with the goalless regular 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool. The latter match, marked by numerous squandered opportunities from both sides, featured Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling attacking for Chelsea, while Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez were in action for Liverpool. What links Haaland, Mudryk, Sterling, Gakpo, and Nunez is that they moved to (or switched as has been the case with Sterling and Jesus) Premier League clubs in 2022, providing them with a similar timeframe to adjust and excel in their new environment. These contrasting performances served as the catalyst for SportingPedia‘s latest report. It investigates how the 10 most expensive forwards signed in 2022 have fared in the Premier League after spending more than a season in their new surroundings. The results provide the readers with a clear picture of which transfer can be described as a coup and which can be regarded as a flop.
One of our report’s key revelations is that Manchester United’s Brazilian wide attacker Antony cost the club almost €16 million per goal involvement in the Premier League. Chelsea’s Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk ranks 2nd with €8.75 million per goal contribution. These two players come at the top of another negative category, namely price of a playing minute. This time around it is Mudryk who tops the chart, with the numbers showing that each minute with him on the field has cost Chelsea just less than €46,000 so far.
Methodology: We utilized Transfermarkt’s platform and selected the most expensive transfers of forwards in 2022, covering both the winter and summer windows. Our focus then shifted exclusively to the top 10 most expensive attackers who made their way to Premier League clubs. We extracted their statistics for the following categories: games, minutes, goals, and assists. Having the transfer fees in hand, we then calculated the cost per playing minute and the cost per goal contribution (combining goals and assists).
Key Takeaways:
- Each of Antony’s 6 goal involvements at Manchester United is valued at €15.83 million
- Mykhailo Mudryk’s time on the pitch costs Chelsea €45,992 per Premier League minute
- Erling Haaland emerges as 2022’s most cost-effective Premier League attacking signing, following a record-breaking debut season with Manchester City
- Despite criticism, Darwin Nunez’s goal contributions cost five times less than Antony’s
- Mykhailo Mudryk stands out as the only player not to reach 2,000 Premier League minutes yet, highlighting limited trust in his capabilities
The 10 most expensive Premier League forwards signed in 2022
Antony (Manchester United)
Antony’s transition to Manchester United came with a hefty price tag of €95 million. In the Premier League, he has appeared 45 times, accumulating 2,747 minutes on the pitch. With a total of 6 goal involvements (4 goals and 2 assists), each of these contributions has come at a significant cost of €15.83 million to the club, highlighting the immense financial investment United has made in the player.
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
Nunez joined Liverpool for €85 million and has since played in 53 matches, logging 3,164 minutes. He has been involved in 28 goals (18 goals and 10 assists). The cost of each goal contribution for Nunez is significantly lower than Antony’s, at €3.04 million, suggesting that while he may still be under scrutiny, his financial impact on the field is less severe.
Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea)
Chelsea secured Mudryk for €70 million, hoping for a substantial impact. Over 34 Premier League games, he has played 1,522 minutes, contributing to 8 goals (3 goals and 5 assists). Each minute Mudryk spends on the field costs Chelsea €45,992, and each goal contribution is valued at €8.75 million.
Alexander Isak (Newcastle)
Newcastle’s acquisition of Isak for €70 million has yielded a promising return. Across 40 league appearances, he has clocked 2,776 minutes, scoring 20 goals and providing 2 assists. This puts his price per goal contribution at around €3.18 million.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Haaland’s move to Manchester City for €60 million has been nothing short of sensational. He has featured in 56 matches, amassing 4,522 minutes, and has an incredible 66 goal contributions (53 goals and 13 assists). His cost-effectiveness is unparalleled, with each playing minute valued at €13,268 and each goal contribution costing the club a mere €909,091, making him the best investment among Premier League forwards signed in 2022.
Richarlison (Tottenham)
Tottenham’s investment of €58 million in Richarlison has seen him participate in 49 Premier League matches, contributing 2,357 minutes of play. With 18 goal involvements (11 goals and 7 assists), his financial impact is calculated at €3.22 million per goal contribution.
Raheem Sterling (Chelsea)
Sterling’s transfer to Chelsea for €56.2 million has seen him feature in 51 matches, contributing 3,640 minutes. He has been involved in 21 goals (12 goals and 9 assists), with each contribution costing Chelsea €2.68 million.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)
Arsenal’s €52.2 million investment in Jesus has seen him take part in 43 Premier League games, totaling 3,174 minutes. With 25 goal involvements (15 goals and 10 assists), his cost per contribution is €2.09 million.
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Gordon, brought in for €45.6 million, has played 41 times for Newcastle, amassing 2,552 minutes. With 15 goal involvements (9 goals and 6 assists), his cost per contribution stands at €3.04 million.
Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)
Gakpo’s move to Liverpool for €42 million has resulted in him playing 45 matches and contributing 2,526 minutes. With 18 goal involvements (12 goals and 6 assists), his performance translates to a cost of €2.33 million per contribution.