With Newcastle completing the £55million signing of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Eddie Howe can now count upon one of the fastest front lines in the Premier League.
Howe had been an admirer of the right-winger’s pace and output, having scored six and assisted 11 in the Premier League last season.
Elanga now joins another lightning fast winger in Anthony Gordon on Tyneside, with his fellow Sweden international Alexander Isak leading the line.
Statistics from last season’s Premier League have shown that Elanga and Gordon were players who spent the most time sprinting. Elanga was also clocked at a top speed of 22.77mph last season, the quickest achieved by an attacking player in the top flight.
Mail Sport has taken a look at the quickest front-lines that could be fielded in the Premier League next season, using the top speeds last campaign, recorded by Stats Perform, and with as realistic line-ups as possible.
Only clubs involved in the Premier League last season have been used in the countdown.
Newcastle United have completed the signing of Nottingham Forest forward Anthony Elanga
Elanga will add even more pace to Eddie Howe’s attacking options at Newcastle next season
Man City – 22.08mph
Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush, Jeremy Doku
Pep Guardiola should able able to count upon the fastest forward line next season in the Premier League, should he call upon this trio.
Man City goal machine Haaland was the fifth fastest attacking player in the top flight in 2024-25 by clocking 22.37mph.
Combined with Doku and January signing Marmoush, their average top speed achieved was 22.08mph.
Man City would boast the fastest attack in the top flight, led by forward Erling Haaland
Brentford – 22.07mph
Bryan Mbeumo, Kevin Schade, Yoane Wissa
The Bees are just behind Man City with an average top speed of 22.07mph.
Whether that is the case when new campaign begins is another thing, with Bryan Mbuemo the second fastest attacking player in the top flight last season at 22.76mph, only behind Elanga.
Schade and Wissa also ranked among the top 30 quickest forwards, with their combined top speed putting Brentford second on the list.
Bryan Mbeumo was the second fastest attacking player in the top flight last season
Newcastle – 22.03mph
Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak
Factoring in the arrival of Elanga, Newcastle are propelled up to having the third fastest forward line. Elanga and Gordon were first and 10th fastest forwards last season, with Isak’s surprisingly dragging down the average having only clocked a top speed of 21.19mph.
Notably, a former Newcastle winger Yankuba Minteh was third quickest in 2024-25. The Magpies reluctance to let Minteh leave shows the importance of pace to their attack, with PSR ultimately leading to their decision to sell him to Brighton.
Elanga now bumps Newcastle up the list, with their average top speed dropping to a still rapid 21.70mph with Harvey Barnes rather than the Swede.
With Anthony Gordon, pictured, and Alexander Isak at the club, Elanga is another rapid addition
Arsenal – 22.02mph
Gabriel Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri, Kai Havertz
The absence of Bukayo Saka is a slight caveat to Arsenal’s front-line, but the Gunners star missed a sizeable chunk of last season due to injury.
Saka had achieved a top speed of 22.59mph back in 2022, but failed to trouble the speed gun last season.
With Havertz likely to feature up front as things stand, Mikel Arteta would turn to Martinelli and Nwaneri if he wanted to field his fastest attacking trio.
Gabriel Martinelli remains the fastest attacking option Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta can call upon
Brighton – 21.90mph
Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma, Georginio Rutter
The Seagulls would be able to call upon two of the fastest recognised wingers in the Premier League in Minteh and Mitoma.
Minteh was ranked as the third quickest forward last season, while Mitoma was 23rd overall.
Rutter is no slouch either, with the forward featuring in the top 50 last season.
Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh was the third fastest forward in the Premier League last season
Tottenham – 21.76mph
Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel, Dominic Solanke
Having called upon a rapid forward line at Brentford, Thomas Frank will inherit similar at Tottenham.
Odobert achieved the fourth highest top speed of any attacking player in the Premier League last season, having been clocked at 22.59mph. Mathys Tel, who has joined permanently this summer, was Spurs next fastest wide-man ahead of Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min.
Dominic Solanke looks set to lead the line for Tottenham, with the average top speed of the three being 21.76mph.
However, if Son were to replace Solanke in attack Tottenham’s would possess the fastest attack, with the average rising to 22.09mph.
Wilson Odobert could have a prominent role if Thomas Frank prioritises speed in attack
Chelsea – 21.74mph
Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Joao Pedro
As ever with Chelsea, this would depend on the Blues transfer activity with Madueke linked with a move to London rivals Arsenal.
For now Madueke feature in their fastest attacking line-up, alongside their quickest forward Pedro Neto and new arrival Joao Pedro.
The latter is narrowly faster than Nicolas Jackson, who has also been linked with a move away.
New Chelsea signing Joao Pedro could offer pace in a variety of attacking roles for the Blues
Man United – 21.67mph
Rasmus Hojlund, Matheus Cunha, Amad
Ruben Amorim’s fastest frontline is very much subject to change, as the Red Devils chase attacking reinforcements and look to move on the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony.
If the Red Devils had to line-up today, a likely attack of Hojlund, Amad and summer signing Cunha would have a combined average top speed of 21.67mph.
It would represent a drop from 22.06mph if Rashford and Garnacho were to support Hojlund.
A line-up of Hojlund, Cunha and Mbuemo, however, would surpass that with the Brentford man pushing the figure to 22.12mph. This would send United to the top of the rankings.
Matheus Cunha looks set to be part of a new-look Man United attacking line-up next season
Liverpool – 21.64mph
Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo
The reigning Premier League champions are around mid-table in our list, with Arne Slot’s side combining speed and skill.
Luis Diaz was the Reds fastest attacking player in their title winning season, while Mo Salah continues to defy his advancing years, showing why the Reds handed him a new deal.
Gakpo would complete Liverpool’s fastest forward line as the focal point.
Mohamed Salah remains among Liverpool’s fastest forwards despite his advancing years
Crystal Palace – 21.47mph
Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaila Sarr, Eberechi Eze
Mateta was the fastest of the FA Cup winners attacking players in the Premier League last season, clocking 21.91mph.
Oliver Glasner would field Sarr and Eze alongside him next season if he was aiming to take on opponents for pace.
The Eagles would, however, have to retain the services of Eze with Premier League rivals having admiring glances at their cup final hero.
Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta both feature in Crystal Palace’s fastest forward line
Bournemouth – 21.46mph
Dango Ouattara, Justin Kluivert, Evanilson
The Cherries are next on the list with a combination of Ouattara, Kluivert and Evanilson achieving an average top speed of 21.46mph.
Antonie Semenyo was narrowly outside their quickest line-up and could easily be subbed in to maintain pace in the attack.
Dango Ouattara (left) leads Bournemouth’s list of quickest attacking options
West Ham – 21.38mph
Mohammed Kudus, Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen
Some serious questions over West Ham’s quickest trio, with their fastest attacking threat Kudus linked with a move away from the club.
Antonio’s future at the club is doubtful with his contract having expired at the end of last season, while it is likely the broken leg sustained in his serious car crash in December will have reduced his top speed.
Bowen would be the slowest but most essential of the trio in West Ham’s attack.
Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme and Niclas Fullkrug are the Hammers next fastest attackers, with the latter having achieved a surprising 21.28mph top speed last season.
Mohammed Kudus was West Ham’s fastest attacker last season, but there are doubts over his future
Aston Villa – 21.31mph
Donyell Malen, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins
Unai Emery’s side are perhaps surprisingly low on the list, given their ability on the counter attack.
With Marcus Rashford having departed following his loan move in the second half of last season, Malen was narrowly the fastest attacking player ahead of Rogers.
Watkins would lead the line, but his top speed last season was down at 20.90mph.
Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins’ top speed last season was recorded at 20.90mph
Everton – 21.23mph
Beto, Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Harrison
Putting together an Everton front three is a challenge in itself, with Dominic Calvert-Lewis and Armando Broja among recent confirmed departures from the club.
Beto and Iliman Ndiaye are among the threadbare attacking options that remain as Everton prepare for their first season at their new stadium.
With reports linking Jack Harrison back to the club for another potential loan spell, the winger has been included in our line-up.
Beto is the fastest player remaining in what has become a depleted Everton forward line
Wolves – 21.03mph
Rodrigo Gomes, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Hwang Hee-Chan
Wolves are among the lower ranked teams in our countdown, with Strand Larsen their central striker.
He would be supported by Gomes and Hwang in Vítor Pereira’s attack.
Wolves’ Rodrigo Gomes recorded the top speed of Vítor Pereira’s attacking players last season
Fulham – 21.02mph
Adama Traore, Ryan Sessegnon, Rodrigo Muniz
Despite having the famed pace of Traore in their ranks, Fulham are second bottom of our standings. The rapid winger was the Cottagers fastest attacker last season 21.86mph.
Sessegnon and Muniz complete the top three, but the latter’s top speed last year was recorded at 20.34mph.
Fulham are near the bottom of the standings, despite boasting speedster Adama Traore
Chris Wood is expected to lead the line for Forest, but they would be hurt by Elanga’s exit
Nottingham Forest – 20.58mph
Jota Silva, Chris Wood, Callum Hudson-Odoi
The loss of Elanga has hit Nottingham Forest hard, according to last year’s sprint stats.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were famed for their counter attacking prowess last season, but it would be potentially be dulled after Elanga moved to Newcastle.
Jota Silva would be their quickest star from last season remaining, with Chris Wood still expected to lead the line.
Surprisingly Wood recorded a higher top speed last season than Callum Hudson-Odoi, who would complete the trio in attack.
