The list of truly top-level players that have plied their trade in the Premier League since it officially came into being in 1992-93 is impressive indeed, and that list only continues to grow given the vast amounts of wealth that steadily flows into the top flight of English football.
Though there are many greats of the beautiful game that have never crossed the channel and preferred the likes of La Liga, Serie A, and the Bundesliga over what England has to offer, those that found their footing either as foreign imports or homegrown talents that perfected their craft in front of goal will always be remembered fondly by life-long supporters and neutral fans alike.
Here is the ever-impressive top-ten list of goalscoring strikers in Premier League history.
Note: all information and data via premierleague.com
10 | Les Ferdinand (QPR, Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester, Bolton)
Sitting tenth on the list is big Les Ferdinand; arguably one of the most under-rated and easily forgotten strikers in the history of the Premier League, though don’t say that to QPR or Newcastle fans. In the first five years of the PL, Ferdinand smashed a combined 101-goals for Rangers and the Magpies and though he only reached the double-digit goal mark twice in the following nine seasons, he still forever left his mark.
9 | Michael Owen (Liverpool, Newcastle, Man United, Stoke)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 06: 17 year old Liverpool debutant Michael Owen is challenged by Chris Perry (l) of Wimbledon during the FA Premier League match at Selhurst Park on May 6, 1997, Owen made his debut from the Substitute’s bench coming on to score on May 6, 1997 in London, England. (Photo Allsport/Getty Images)
Few players have captured the hearts and minds of club supporters and neutral onlookers alike the way Michael Owen did when he burst onto the scene during the 1997-98 season, scoring 18-goals in 36-appearances as a bright-eyed 18-year-old. Though his second-stint in the Premier League is largely forgotten during stints with Newcastle, Manchester United, and Stoke, his Liverpool days featured some of the most talked-about goalscoring ability that ever graced the English top flight.
8 | Jermain Defoe (West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Bournemouth)
A name that has been around for quite some time, Jermain Defoe plied his trade in the Premier League for nineteen seasons across a career that featured five different ports of call. His fantastic personality on and off the pitch makes him one of the most likable figures in the history of the league, and the longevity of his career allowed him to crack the top-ten goalscoring chart despite never cracking the 20-goal mark in a season. Still, he was one of the definitive poachers in league history and deserves the utmost respect.
7 | Robbie Fowler (Liverpool, Leeds, Man City, Blackburn)
Like former clubmate Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler was worth his weight in gold during his days smashing in the goals at Anfield at the Kop end and remains one of the most iconic players of the Premier League for Liverpool. Also like Owen, his influence in the goal column took a serious nosedive after leaving the Reds, and only twice did he eclipse the 10-goal barrier in the nine seasons after his love affair with Merseyside came to an end. But boy, what a love affair it was.
6 | Harry Kane (Tottenham, Norwich)
The only active player in the Premier League on this list, Harry Kane has written his own footballing fairytale across what is undeniable one of the most impressive careers ever embarked on by a striker in England. After years of loans, Kane finally was given his chance to lead the line for Tottenham at the outset of the 2014-15 season. He never looked back. And considering he is still just 28-years-old, despite going through a difficult season at the time of writing, one of England’s best-ever goalscorers has every chance to eclipse 200-goals should he remain in north London.
5 | Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
23 Apr 2000: Thierry Henry of Arsenal scores during the FA Carling Premiership match against Watford at Vicarage Road in Watford, England. Mandatory Credit: Gary M Prior/Allsport
Ask any Arsenal supporter, and the buck stops at Thierry Henry when it comes to the debate regarding who is the greatest striker to ever play in the Premier League. Titi certainly has the resume and pedigree to back up those claims despite only spending eight seasons with the Gunners (with a short loan return in 2011-12) as one of only two players on the list that stuck their flag in the sand while representing just one club. With too many iconic moments to list, Henry is fully deserving of his top-five status.
4 | Sergio Agüero (Man City)
“AGÜEROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” At that moment icon Premier League, Argentine sensation Sergio Agüero had already written his ticket into the hearts of the Manchester City faithful when his stoppage-time winner against Queens Park Rangers secured the club’s first league title since 1968 at the expense of none other than rivals Manchester United; all during his first season at the club But the diminutive striker would go on to craft a career that spanned a decade which has many continuing to argue that he is the best foreigner to ever grace England.
3 | Andy Cole (Newcastle, Man United, Blackburn, Fulham, Man City, Portsmouth, Sunderland)
“Andy Cole, Andy Cole, Andy, Andy Cole. When he gets the ball, he scores a goal. Andy, Andy Cole!” Many reading those lyrics will be far too young to remember that song that was to justifiably attributed to Andy Cole. Though a product of Arsenal’s academy, Cole never got his chance with the Gunners and instead would explode for Newcastle to the tune of 34-goals in 40-appearances in the inaugural season of the Premier League. He eventually moved to Manchester United where his iconic partnership with Dwight Yorke defined an entire era and ended with five Premier League honors.
2 | Wayne Rooney (Everton, Man United)
Few players, in any position, have had a bigger impact on the top flight of English football than Wayne Rooney. Many will still remember that cracking long-range effort he scored as a 16-year-old against Arsenal when he first broke into the first-team at Everton, but for Manchester United, Rooney was on another planet. His goal return is not as high as many would think, but the feisty forward is arguably the best all-around striker to ever feature in the Premier League.
1 | Alan Shearer (Blackburn, Newcastle)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Alan Shearer of Newcastle celebrates scoring during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Everton and Newcastle United at Goodison Park on September 13, 2003 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
A celebration that endeared itself to an entire region, a player that will forever headline an entire history; Alan Shearer is, for many, a player that will never be topped. On Tyneside, he holds the rank of deity in a pantheon of players that features the likes of Gary Speed, Nolberto Solano, Peter Beardsley, Jackie Milburn, and Paul Gascoigne; players of any era, not just the Premier League. As the record-goalscorer, the Southampton academy product gifted Blackburn only their third-ever league win before being recognized as one of the premier players of his day during his time at Newcastle. His legend will never be forgotten in the northeast of England.
How the top-ten in the Premier League rank
Goals: Shearer (260/441), Rooney (208/491), Cole (187/414), Agüero (184/275), Henry (175/258), Kane (171/267), Fowler (163/379), Defoe (162/496), Owen (150/326), Ferdinand (149/351)
Goals/Match: Henry (0.67), Agüero (0.66), Kane (0.64), Shearer (0.58), Owen (0.46), Cole (0.45), Fowler (0.43), Ferdinand (0.42), Rooney (0.42), Defoe (0.32)
Direct Involvements/Match: Henry (0.96), Agüero (0.84), Kane (0.77), Shearer (0.73), Rooney (0.63), Cole (0.62), Ferdinand (0.56), Owen (0.55), Fowler (0.53), Defoe (0.39)
