Premier League Goal Cost Report

The best-value attacking players - Ollie Watkins dominates the rankings

First, we’ve examined the 50 highest-earning attacking players of the 2023/24 season and calculated their pay per goal contribution.

Lowest earnings per goal contribution

1. Ollie Watkins – Aston Villa

• Estimated annual wages: £6,760,000

• Goals and assists: 32

• Estimated earnings per goal and assist: £211,250

Ollie Watkins has been the most cost-effective attacking player in the league when considering salary versus goal contributions. With 19 goals and 13 assists, he delivered exceptional value for Aston Villa last season. His exploits also saw him win the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award.

2. Alexander Isak – Newcastle United

• Estimated annual wages: £6,240,000

• Goals and assists: 23

• Estimated earnings per goal and assist: £271,304

Isak justified his wages with an impressive 21-goal season, adding two assists to his tally, ending the season as Newcastle’s top scorer, behind only Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer in the league. His efficiency in front of goal has made him one of the Premier League’s best-performing strikers relative to earnings.

3. Julián Álvarez – Manchester City / Leon Bailey – Aston Villa

• Estimated annual wages: £5,200,000

• Goals and assists: 19

• Estimated earnings per goal and assist: £273,684

Both Julián Álvarez and Leon Bailey provided a strong return on investment for their clubs. Álvarez was a versatile attacking threat for City in 2023/2024 before he left for pastures new at Atlético Madrid, while Bailey stepped up in helping Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League, ensuring both players are among the best value attackers in the league.

Lowest transfer cost per goal contribution

Ollie Watkins again stands out as the most efficient when it comes to the transfer fee paid per goal contribution.

1. Ollie Watkins – Aston Villa

• Estimated transfer fee: £28.1m

• Goals and assists: 32

• Estimated cost per goal and assist: £0.88m

Once again, Ollie Watkins is the most efficient attacker, delivering 19 goals and 13 assists for an estimated transfer fee of £28.1 million, making him an incredible value signing for Aston Villa and a key reason for their attacking success. 2024 was also a big season for Watkins at international level, representing England at UEFA Euro 2024 and scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute of the semi-final against the Netherlands to send England to the final.

2. Son Heung-min – Tottenham Hotspur

• Estimated transfer fee: £24.8m

• Goals and assists: 27

• Estimated cost per goal and assist: £0.92m

A consistent performer for Spurs, Son Heung-min once again proved his attacking prowess with 17 goals and 10 assists. His low transfer cost compared to others on the list makes him one of the most cost-effective attacking players in the league. Son was also made club captain at the start of the 2023/2024 season and is the highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history.

3. Cole Palmer – Chelsea

• Estimated transfer fee: £38.9m

• Goals and assists: 33

• Estimated cost per goal and assist: £1.18m

Cole Palmer has been a revelation for Chelsea, making an immediate impact in his first full season with the club. With 22 goals and 11 assists, he has outperformed expectations, and while his cost per goal involvement is slightly higher than Watkins and Son, his influence on Chelsea’s attack has been immense. Following this breakout season, he picked up several awards, including the PFA Fans' Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year.

The best-value defensive players - Arsenal’s backline shows their efficiency

When looking at defenders and goalkeepers, we compared earnings and transfer fees against the number of clean sheets that players contributed to for their teams.

Lowest earnings per clean sheet

1. Ben White – Arsenal

• Estimated annual wages: £6,240,000

• Clean sheets: 13

• Estimated earnings per clean sheet: £480,000

Ben White was one of Arsenal’s most reliable defenders last season, contributing to 13 clean sheets while being a key part of their backline. His wage-to-performance ratio makes him the most cost-effective defensive player in the Premier League. He became the club’s most expensive defender when he signed for around £50 million, but his adaptability and defensive solidity have justified the investment.

2. Jordan Pickford – Everton

• Estimated annual wages: £6,500,000

• Clean sheets: 13

• Estimated earnings per clean sheet: £500,000

As Everton’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Pickford delivered 13 clean sheets while playing a crucial role in keeping the team defensively solid. Earning an estimated £6.5 million, each clean sheet he kept for the club was worth £500,000. He was also named Everton’s Player of the Season for the third year in a row.

3. Ederson – Manchester City

• Estimated annual wages: £5,200,000

• Clean sheets: 10

• Estimated earnings per clean sheet: £520,000

Manchester City’s shot-stopper kept ten clean sheets while playing a crucial role in the club’s title ambitions. He’s made over 300 appearances for City since joining and has had great success, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League.

Lowest transfer cost per clean sheet

Looking at the defensive players with the lowest transfer fee per clean sheet, Arsenal stand out as the most efficient, with two players in the top five.

1. William Saliba – Arsenal

• Estimated transfer fee: £24.85m

• Clean sheets: 18

• Cost per clean sheet: £1.38m

William Saliba proved to be a defensive rock for Arsenal, offering incredible value with his ability to keep opponents at bay. With 18 clean sheets, he delivered the best cost-efficiency, making him one of the brightest defensive investments in the Premier League. Saliba played every minute of the Gunners’ Premier League campaign, and the club conceded just 29 goals during the entire season.

2. Ederson – Manchester City

• Estimated transfer fee: £33.13m

• Clean sheets: 10

• Cost per clean sheet: £3.31m

Manchester City's long-time No. 1, Ederson, continues to justify his price tag with consistent shot-stopping performances. His 10 clean sheets played a crucial role in City’s title challenge, and while his cost per clean sheet is higher than Saliba’s, his presence in goal is still invaluable to City.

3. Ben White – Arsenal

• Estimated transfer fee: £48.46m

• Clean sheets: 13

• Cost per clean sheet: £3.73m

Ben White has become a key figure in Arsenal’s defensive setup. He excels as a right-back and a centre-back when needed, contributing to 13 clean sheets. He also signed a new four-year contract to keep him at the club until June 2028.

Author Commentary

“Whilst we continue to see Premier League clubs splash out on lucrative big money transfer fees and contracts, more often than not a big price tag doesn’t always lead to success.

“As a team at OLBG, we wanted to see if players are providing their worth at both ends of the pitch; whether making vital blocks in front of goal or setting up a teammate to score at the other end, every single action on the pitch has a monetary value.

“When considering the best value attacking players in the Premier League, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins dominates the rankings. The club eclipsed their transfer record to sign Watkins from Brentford in 2020, yet this looks a steal on paper given the Englishman's contributions. In the 2023/2024 Premier League season, he made 32 goal contributions which is equivalent to earnings of more than £211,000 per goal or assist. 

“The above figure may seem startling to the naked eye, but this is still £60,000 less in earnings per goal contribution than any other player. In fact, with each goal contribution, Watkins is costing Aston Villa just 3% of his original transfer fee.

“At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal’s backline certainly show their efficiency. Ben White’s 13 clean sheets last season amounted to earnings of £480,000 for each one. This is less than stand-out goalkeepers such as Jordan Pickford (£500,000) and Ederson (£520,000). White’s defensive partner William Saliba shone as Arsenal battled for the title, and he cost Arsenal just £1.38 million per clean sheet secured - just 5.5% of the original transfer fee they paid for him.”

Methodology

First, we used FBref to find the 50 highest-earning attacking and defensive players in the 

2023/24 Premier League season. Any players who could be classified as both attacking and defensive (like central midfielders) were categorised based on whether they played more matches in attacking or defensive roles during the season.

Then, using Transfermarkt, we also found the 50 attacking and defensive players who were bought for the highest transfer fees during the 2023/24 Premier League season. Transfer fees were converted from euros to pounds using XE.

For both sections, players who were only on loan during the 2023/24 season or who left or joined their club mid-way through the season were excluded.

The number of goal contributions (goals and assists) for attacking players was sourced from FBref, and the number of clean sheets for defensive players was sourced from the Premier League.

The earnings and transfer fee per goal contribution or clean sheet were then calculated for each player.