Premier
League clubs splashed out a whopping £220,800,000 on new strikers during
last summer's transfer window, with mixed results to say the least.
While
some players have taken to life in England like ducks to water, finding
the back of the net on a regular basis and immediately earning a place
in the hearts of supporters, others haven't been quite so lucky.
But
with a huge disparity between the fees shelled out on new attacking
talent, which acquisitions have been the best value so far?
Italian forward Graziano Pelle, pictured celebrating against Newcastle, has netted six league goals already
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli (centre) is yet to find the back of the net after swapping AC Milan for Anfield
To decide, MailOnline Sport has
done some calculations and worked out the cost of each top-flight goal
scored by the forwards signed for cold, hard cash last summer.
And
with those who arrived on free transfers before the window slammed shut
back on September 1 exempt, Crystal Palace's Fraizer Campbell has
emerged as the best buy.
The
former Manchester United and Sunderland man moved to Selhurst Park from
relegated Cardiff in late July for just £800,000 and has since scored
three league goals.
The
27-year-old netted in wins against Everton and Leicester before scoring
in the Eagles' 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea, giving him an impressive
cost-per-goal of just under £267,000 - the best return in the division.
Former Cardiff striker Campbell celebrates scoring in Palace's 3-2 win at Goodison Park in September
BEST FREE TRANSFERS
Samuel Eto'o (Everton) - 3 goals
Didier Drogba (Chelsea) - 1 goal
Bafetimbi Gomis (Swansea) - 1 goal
Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke) - 3 goals
Newcastle's
Ayoze Perez has been hitting the headlines in recent weeks and, after
costing Alan Pardew just £1.5million from Tenerife, sits second in our
countdown.
Three
winning goals against Tottenham, Liverpool and West Brom mean the
21-year-old's strikes have cost £500,000 apiece so far - a figure which
looks certain to reduce significantly as the season goes on.
Completing
the top three is West Ham's Diafra Sakho, who has managed six goals in
his eight Premier League appearances since moving to Upton Park from
Metz for £3.5m.
The
Senegalese forward has cost the Hammers £583,000 per goal after finding
the back of the net in consecutive matches against Hull, Liverpool,
Manchester United, QPR, Burnley and champions Manchester City.
Newcastle's Ayoze Perez (left) and West Ham's Diafra Sakho have turned out to be two of the best bargains
Two
of last summer's big-money transfers saw Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa
swap Spain for England for a combined cost of £62million.
Chilean
Sanchez has hit the ground running at Arsenal after leaving Barcelona,
scoring eight top-flight goals in 10 appearances to begin paying back
his £30million fee.
Those
strikes, the most recent of which came against Swansea last weekend,
mean Sanchez has cost the Gunners £3.75m per goal, while £32m man Costa
has set Chelsea back £3.2m for every strike after netting 10 goals in
just nine games.
It's been a
different story for Arsene Wenger's other attacking acquisition, with
£16m forward Danny Welbeck having scored just twice in the Premier
League.
His
cost of £8m per goal is the same as Loic Remy, who remained in west
London with Jose Mourinho's side after deciding to leave QPR.
Romelu
Lukaku is another young striker with a hefty price-tag to contend with
after leaving Chelsea to join Everton on a £28m permanent deal following
a successful loan spell last term.
The
21-year-old Belgian has managed four goals under Roberto Martinez this
season, making him one of the more costly summer additions at £7m a goal
so far.
Romelu Lukaku (left) and Danny Welbeck have proved to be two of the costliest strikers so far this season
The
former Anderlecht youngster has still fared considerably better than
Brendan Rodgers' summer signings across Stanley Park though, with Rickie
Lambert and Mario Balotelli yet to find the back of the net in the
league.
Balotelli,
a £16m buy from AC Milan, has only managed to score in the Champions
League against Ludogorets and in the Capital One Cup against Swansea
while £4m Lambert has struggled to make his mark since leaving
Southampton.
There's
better news for Saints fans, who have a new hero in £8m Italian
frontman Graziano Pelle. The former Feyenoord striker has already hit
six goals in his debut campaign, at a cost of £1.33m per strike.
Southampton duo Pelle (left) and Shane Long have had mixed fortunes since joining Saints last summer
Manager
Ronald Koeman also splashed out £12m on Hull's Shane Long but the
Republic of Ireland international is only just starting to find his
form. His brace against Leicester last weekend means he has cost a
substantial £6m a goal during his brief spell in red and white.
Manchester
United opted to pursue a late loan deal for Monaco's prolific striker
Radamel Falcao, eventually bringing the Colombian to Old Trafford on a
temporary deal for the season.
But
it's not happened for the former Atletico Madrid star in Manchester,
with his £6m loan fee paying for just a single goal - the winner against
Everton at Old Trafford last month.
Manchester United have had just one goal from Radamel Falcao after paying a £6m loan fee for the striker
SUMMER SIGNINGS COST PER GOAL
Arsenal
Alexis Sanchez - Cost £30m, 8 goals, cost per goal £3.75m
Danny Welbeck - Cost £16m, 2 goals, cost per goal £8m
Burnley
Marvin Sordell - Cost £1.5m, 0 goals
Lukas Jutkiewicz - Cost £2.5m, 0 goals
Chelsea
Diego Costa - Cost £32m, 10 goals, cost per goal £3.2m
Didier Drogba - Free transfer, 1 goal
Loic Remy - Cost £8m, 1 goal, cost per goal £8m
Crystal Palace
Fraizer Campbell - Cost £800,000, 3 goals, cost per goal £266,000
Kevin Doyle - Free transfer, 0 goals
Andy Johnson - Free transfer, 0 goals
Everton
Romelu Lukaku - Cost £28m, 4 goals, cost per goal £7m
Samuel Eto'o - Free transfer, 3 goals
Hull
Abel Hernandez - Cost £9.5m, 3 goals, cost per goal £3.16m
Leicester
Leonardo Ulloa - Cost £8m, 5 goals, cost per goal £1.6m
Liverpool
Rickie Lambert - Cost £4m, 0 goals
Mario Balotelli - Cost £16m, 0 goals
SUMMER SIGNINGS COST PER GOAL
Manchester United
Radamel Falcao - Cost £6m (loan fee), 1 goal, cost per goal £6m
Newcastle
Ayoze Perez - Cost £1.5m, 3 goals, cost per goal £500k
Emmanuel Riviere - Cost £7m, 0 goals
QPR
Eduardo Vargas - Loan deal, 1 goal
Southampton
Graziano Pelle - Cost £8m, 6 goals, cost per goal £1.33m
Shane Long - Cost £12m, 2 goals, cost per goal £6m
Stoke
Bojan Krkic - Cost £3m, 1 goal, cost per goal £3m
Mame Biram Diouf - Free transfer, 3 goals
Swansea
Bafetimbi Gomis - Free transfer, 1 goal
Moudo Barrow - Cost £1.5m, 0 goals
West Brom
Brown Ideye - Cost £10m, 0 goals
Georgios Samaras - Free transfer, 0 goals
West Ham
Diafra Sakho - Cost £3.5m, 6 goals, cost per goal £583,000
Enner Valencia - Cost £12m, 3 goals, cost per goal £4m
Mauro Zarate - Free transfer, 1 goal
Total spent on strikers by Premier League clubs last summer: £220,800,000
