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The Striker Merry-Go-Round: Who Will End Up Where?
Blogs

The Striker Merry-Go-Round: Who Will End Up Where?

The Striker Merry-Go-Round: Who Will End Up Where?

Strikers. Arguably the most valuable players on a football pitch and the hero at the top of the pitch for each team. Nevertheless, with goals the currency in football, deciding the success of teams, a clinical goal-scorer and poacher is essential.

However, in the modern landscape of football, acquiring a top striker and finding a reliable forward has become more difficult than ever, with prices for bagsmen, rising through the roof.

In Europe’s top five divisions, the average price for a striker can find teams spending anywhere between €20-30m while to find an extraordinary talent in the position – you may need to spend upwards of €35m.

The summer of 2025 seems to be the year of moving strikers as a series of top-level forwards look set to move their clubs for big fees. Liam Delap, Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike, and Victor Gyokeres are four elite goal-scorers, whose names seem to be in the mouth of every club wanting a striker this summer.

But with the finishers set to move for large sums, who can these clubs sign as their replacements?

A Straight Swap For Ipswich?

The one positive of a difficult campaign back in the Premier League for Ipswich Town has been Liam Delap. A relatively unknown striker at the top level, coming into the season, being signed from Manchester City and flourishing. Scoring 12 goals in 37 league appearances for a struggling team at 22 years of age, Delap has bags of potential, and the team that seem to have won the race for him is Chelsea. An athletic and physical specimen, who has a bit of old-school within his playstyle, alongside fantastic finishing – for £30m, Delap could be an excellent piece of business.

But for Ipswich, now in the Championship, £30m is a lot of money and gives them the opportunity to re-invest and spend that money on their squad and on a replacement. In the current state of play, the replacement almost seems to be an immediate swap as Marc Guiu is linked with the Tractor Boys with a loan move.

Playing just three games in the Premier League, Guiu’s sample size comes in the UEFA Conference League as the Spaniard netted six goals in seven matches and helped Chelsea to win the competition. Only 19 years old, the striker has plenty of growth left as a player, with the former Barcelona man a smaller and lighter build for a centre forward.

But per 90, Guiu is impressive on the stats sheet, averaging 1.89 goals, 5.98 shots, and 1.26 successful dribbles in the Conference League. While physically in the Championship, the forward could no doubt, struggle – his agile and fast skillset may also cause several problems for defenders on the opposite side of things, being a threat when being put in on goal.

Therefore, if this move is to be on loan and Ipswich choose to pocket most of the profits for Delap, the young striker could be a fantastic option for Kieran McKenna’s team if he can adapt to the physicality of the second tier.

A German International To Replace Sesko?

Next on the move looks set to be Benjamin Sesko. A young striker with an aggressive eye for goal who is rumoured to be on his way out of RB Leipzig following the German club’s finish outside of the Bundesliga’s European places. As needing a goal-scorer for a number of years, Arsenal seem to be leading the race for the Slovenian as Mikael Arteta’s team could trigger the opportunity to sign Sesko. As a player, the 21-year-old is a rangy forward who has a well-polished skillset across the board, with an abundance of future potential.

Selling Sesko, the German club are bound to receive a large fee of around €60m, and this means that they need to find a replacement. While there have not been any current links between strikers and the German club – a potential option could be Jonathan Burkardt. A German forward – at 24 years of age, Burkardt lit up the Bundesliga last season, scoring 18 goals in 29 matches for Mainz 05.

As Mainz shocked the German division, their striker was a key factor – Burkardt, per 90, averaging 3.05 shots and 0.76 goals in a similar style to Sesko in his shoot-first attitude. The 24-year-old also ended the season on phenomenal form, scoring three goals in his last three games – including a goal against Bayer Leverkusen on the final day.

At a market value of around €30m, Burkardt could be a perfect option for Leipzig. A player that they know well, who is familiar and proven in the top-flight of German football, but also at 24, he still has potential and room to go. As an overall package, the Mainz-man might not be the same as Sesko. However, to replace the Slovenian, with a similar ceiling as Sesko, the German club will have to invest in a wonderkid.

Can Frankfurt Replace Ekitike With A Player At The Club?

After a redemption season in Germany. The name of Huge Ekitike is hot in the European market once again, with the French forward reportedly set to depart Frankfurt in the summer. With 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga games, Manchester United and Liverpool are rumoured to be in for the forward, but there is not a concrete link for a potential transfer.

Despite the club demanding €80-100m for the Frenchman - Frankfurt’s replacement for Ekitike is different compared to the other clubs. Signed in January, Elye Wahi has not yet been given the chance he would’ve wanted, moving to Frankfurt, but now, with Ekitike potentially departing – it could be the time for another French striker to step up.

Making eight appearances at the end of the Bundesliga season, Wahi has played a combined 192 minutes in a Frankfurt shirt, with the striker yet to hit the back of the net. But during his time in France, the 22-year-old showed that he is more than good enough to be a top striker at European level.

Initially impressing at Lens, Wahi scored 12 goals in 36 games in the 2023/24 season before moving to Marseille, scoring three goals in 14 matches. Not too dissimilar to Ekitike, the French under-21s international is a quick forward, who is agile, and fantastic when it comes to link-up play with his fantastic dribbling ability.

As a player already at the club – money-wise, Wahi would be an idle replacement for Frankfurt, allowing for the profit to be spread across the team. Frankfurt could also choose to invest in an additional young talent to play alongside Wahi, but the opportunity without Ekitike will give him the chance to flourish.

Can An Unknown Striker Replace Gyokeres?

Arguably the best and deadliest striker in Europe. Since departing Coventry City, Viktor Gyokeres has turned into nothing short of a monster. 43 goals in 50 games last season. 54 goals in 52 games this season. Gyokeres is primed and ready for a move to one of football’s elite clubs this summer, and Sporting are bound to receive a treasure chest worth of cash in return.

It is going to be nearly impossible to replace the Swede if Gyokeres is to go, with Sporting reportedly demanding €55-65m, but Franjo Ivanovic could be an interesting replacement. An unknown quantity, the 21-year-old currently plays his football in Belgium for Union St Gilloise.

With 16 goals in 34 appearances in the First Division A and four goals in 10 games in the UEFA Europa League, Ivanovic has had a brilliant first season in one of Europe’s main nations following a move from Croatia. Averaging 0.43 goals per 90 in the Europa League, the Croatian is a top striker against European opposition, but Ivanovic also averages 2.68 successful dribbles per 90, showcasing his ball-dominant playstyle.

At 21 years old, Ivanovic shares a similar ceiling to Gyokeres, with the Croatian being able to develop at Sporting at a younger age compared to the Swede. Spending his youth career in Germany, Ivanovic netted 18 goals in 36 games for Augsburg II, showing his potential at the top level.

With a market value of a reported €2m, the striker could be an outstanding signing for Sporting if he can join the Portuguese club and come close to filling the large shoes of Gyokeres.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
Josh Wyatt-Jones

Content Writer

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