The Premier League welcomes back the era of the 'giants'

With the goal of winning the Premier League title, clubs invested heavily in the summer transfer window, bringing in “giants” to lead their frontline.

The Premier League welcomes back the return of towering strikers.

In total, Premier League clubs spent a record £3 billion last summer. The priciest deal was Liverpool’s £130 million signing of Alexander Isak, making him the most expensive player in English football history. However, that was not the only signing for the “Reds.” Previously, they acquired Hugo Ekitike, a 1.91m tall French striker from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Meanwhile, Manchester United matched the competition by signing Benjamin Sesko, a 1.95m tall striker from Slovenia. At Newcastle, Nick Woltemade, with an impressive height of 1.98m, was brought in to fill Isak’s spot at St James’ Park. These transfers indicate a strong comeback of tall striker recruitment in the Premier League.

These new signings remind fans of legendary Premier League forwards like Duncan Ferguson, Andy Carroll, and Peter Crouch. Yet, today’s tall strikers are not only physically imposing but also possess excellent technical skills. They are not just goal scorers but can hold the ball and link up well with teammates.

Football history has always centered on strikers – the players who score goals and secure victories. They have always been the most expensive and most anticipated players. However, developing quality strikers has never been easy. Pep Guardiola’s ball control revolution changed how football academies train players, prioritizing more agile forwards instead of focusing solely on finishing.

With the rise of Guardiola’s favored 4-3-3 formation, strikers must meet physical and ball retention demands. As defenders grow stronger and faster, Guardiola was among the first to adapt tactics. After using Sergio Aguero (1.73m) to lead the attack for a while, he brought in Erling Haaland, the 1.95m Norwegian superstar. The outcome was Manchester City’s first Champions League win and a historic treble.

Guardiola’s tactical shift sparked a domino effect. Most top Premier League clubs now have a “giant” striker following the recent transfer window. Even Arsenal’s famously conservative coach, Mikel Arteta, changed his mind by signing Viktor Gyokeres, a 1.88m tall striker, after sticking with Kai Havertz as a forward last season.

Not only the big clubs, but mid-table teams are also seeking tall forwards. Wolves, after successfully keeping Jorgen Strand Larsen (1.93m) despite Newcastle’s advances, spent £24 million to sign Tolu Arokodare, a 1.98m Nigerian striker from Genk. Fulham also recently announced the loan of Jonah Kusi-Asare, an 18-year-old standing 1.95m from Bayern Munich, and at his age, no one knows when he will stop growing taller.

It’s fascinating that Sweden is producing many tall strikers like Isak, Gyokeres, and the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who stands 1.95m and was a star at MU under Jose Mourinho in 2016. MU fans hope Sesko can replicate Ibrahimovic’s goal-scoring ability.

Now, let’s wait to see who will be the best in the “land of giants” in the Premier League.