Have been looking around the world’s top scoring lists to search for a decent striker. Just a bit of fun really, some of these might be too expensive or not good enough for Liverpool but it’s interesting to see what’s out there:
1) Bryan Ruiz (FC Twente, 24 league goals) – The 24 year old Costa Rican striker Ruiz had been in Holland with Gent since 2006. He was purchased by Steve McClaren last summer for €5million and what a bargain it has proved to be. He carried FC Twente to the title with 24 league goals, scoring a crucial goal on 23 minutes on the final day of the season to set up a 2-0 victory versus NAC Breda to help Twente to their first ever Eredivisie title.
2) Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria, 19 league goals) – The Italian striker has had a fantastic year and half at Sampdoria after transferring from Fiorentina in January 2009. 36 goals in 61 matches for the blucerchiati is an excellent record and he has been rewarded with international caps. He has been included in Italy’s 23 man squad for the World Cup. Relatively strong in the air and a goal poacher, he could be an excellent foil for Fernando Torres. On the downside Pazzini is probably way out of our price range.
3) Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund, 19 league goals) – The 25 year old was famously bought by Dortmund last summer on the evidence of a Youtube video which showed him scoring some of the 49 goals in 53 appearances he scored for Colo Colo in Chile. He was bought for €4.2million and there was heavy criticism from the German media. It seemed to be justified when he scored just one goal in two months but he came to life to score 19 as Dortmund finished fifth. Born in Argentina, Barrios has opted to play for Paraguay at this summer’s World Cup and has already scored twice in two friendlies.
4) Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid, 18 league goals) – Everyone knows the quality of the 31 year old Uruguayan striker. After a tough time with Manchester United, he turned his career around in Spain with Villarreal and Atletico and has been Europe’s Golden Boot winner two times. Most likely to be outside of our price range.
5) Kevin Gameiro (Lorient, 17 league goals) – Not many would have heard of the French striker but 23 year old Gameiro has been on fire this season in Ligue One. He has been a great find for Lorient since transferring from Strasbourg two years ago and followed up his 13 league goals in the 2008/09 campaign with 17 league goals this campaign helping the club to a 7th place finish. Has played at every level for France except the senior team and may play for Portugal in the future due to his heritage.
6) Juan Francisco Martinez (Tenerife, 14 league goals) – More commonly known as “Nino,” the 29 year old has had three barnstorming seasons at Tenerife, scoring 18 and 29 league goals in successive seasons in the Spanish second division before scoring 14 league goals this campaign in the Primera Division as the Canary Island club were relegated.
7) Vedad Ibisevic (Hoffenheim, 12 league goals) – A revelation in his last two seasons with Hoffenheim, Bosnian striker Ibisevic was the stand out performer in the German club’s excellent first season in the top flight. He scored 19 goals in 19 games before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee which kept him out for the rest of the season. The 25 year old recovered well last season to score 12 goals and has also struck up a good partnership with Edin Dzeko at international level for Bosnia.
8) Kevin Doyle (Wolves, 9 league goals) – Out of all the players in the Premier League scoring list, the Irishman seems the most likely to come to us , and he scored a creditable nine league goals in a campaign that saw Wolves struggle to create chances. The 26 year old played a big part in keeping the Wanderers up this season.
Wild Cards
9) Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City, 3 league goals) – The Paraguayan has been sidelined since Roberto Mancini’s arrival at the club. He was a Mark Hughes signing last summer for £17.5million but he will most likely be offloaded this summer. A good target man, who can regularly score goals, the Reds could try to get him for a relatively small amount.
10) Diego Tardelli (Atletico Mineiro, 19 league goals) – On loan in Europe at PSV and Real Betis, the Brazilian was never a prolific scorer and returned to Brazil with everything to prove. His transfer from Sao Paulo to Flamengo didn’t work out but a subsequent move to Atleticio Mineiro has seen the 25 year old find his Midas goalscoring touch and has been prolific during the 2009 Brazilian league season. A cheap option to go for at a rumoured £5million.
Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at editor@live4liverpool.com
i would love liverpool to get niang of marseille and or guiseppi rossi of villareal two strikers who are premier league material
no to all of them, only forlan would be good but they are not selling him as well as the little argie! that list is dogs***e,, we are liverpool not west ham,,, and as for rossi, to small, just been left behined by the national team! no thank to any of those deadbeats,,,
Where’s the list of those who already play in the EPL?
what about fernando llorente (athletic bilbao, 14 goals); roberto soldado (getafe, 16 goals); alavaro negredo (sevilla, 11 goals)?
vedad ibisevic looks the better option in this list i think he can become a great striker if he go to a better club eg like diego milito
Lucas Barrios!!! we could get him for around 6-8 million i think, and i rate him better then santa cruz, i never heard of this lad until he moved to dortmund, he’s not heard of by many people but i think he could be a big name soon like like dzeko had recieved. Liverpool must buy him, he will bring height to the team aswell !! 🙂