Bruno Fernandes among Premier League best-value attacking players as £100m stars miss top ten
Manchester United can’t lose Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes, the FWA Player of the Year, is near the top of the Premier League value table
A new study has analyzed Premier League players to reveal which footballers are delivering the best value for money this season.
The study, by Bally Bet, compared current market values with on-pitch output, calculating how much each player effectively “costs” per goal contribution this season.
A minimum threshold of ten goal contributions and 20 appearances was applied, with only attacking players and attacking midfielders included in the analysis to avoid positional skew.
In first place is Danny Welbeck (Brighton & Hove Albion), who has the best value-for-money rating in the whole Premier League. With14 goal contributions and a market value of £3,480,000, Welbeck’s contributions cost just £248,571 – the lowest in the ranking.
Raúl Jiménez (Fulham F.C.) follows in second place. With 12 goal contributions and a market value of £3,480,000, each goal contribution costs approximately £290,000.
Zian Flemming (Burnley F.C.) follows in third place, with 10 goal contributions and a valuation of £10,440,000, working out at around £1,044,000 per contribution.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) ranks fourth on the list and has contributed 28 goal involvements so far this season. Valued at £34,800,000, he costs roughly £1,242,857 per contribution, making him one of the best value-for-money attacking midfielders in the league.
Jaidon Anthony (Burnley F.C.) comes infifth place with12 goal contributions. With a market value of£15,660,000, each contribution costs approximately £1,305,000.
Leandro Trossard (Arsenal), after his all important strike at the weekend takes the sixth spot with 12 contributions so far this season and a value of £17,400,000, meaning each contribution costs approximately £1,450,000.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United) following his penalty against Spurs last night ranks seventh, with 13 contributions so far this season. With Calvert-Lewin’s market value of £19,140,000, each of those contributions works out to £1,472,308.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) takes the eighth spot, with 18 goal contributions so far this season. Combined with a market value of £30,450,000, this means that each of Bowen’s contributions costs £1,691,667.
Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) comes in at ninth on the list, with a current market value of £24,360,000, and 14 contributions so far this season, Richarlison’s per-goal contribution works out to cost £1,740,000.
Rounding out the list in tenth place is Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), who has 14 goal contributions so far this season. With a value of £26,100,000, that works out to a £1,864,286 per contribution – the highest cost-per-contribution of any player in the top ten ranking.
The results show a clear divide between cost and efficiency in the Premier League, with mid-priced players delivering significantly better returns than some of the league’s most expensive stars. While elite names still contribute strongly overall, their high market valuations mean they often provide lower value per output, reiterating the growing importance of smart recruitment over big spending.
Man United skipper’s 28 goal contributions for his £34.8m valuation make him one of the Premier League’s best-value attackers.
Danny Welbeck emerges as the Premier League’s best-value attacking player this season.
Big-money stars rank significantly lower for value-for-money goal contributions.
Analysis of 2025/26 player goal and assist data reveals the Premier League’s most cost-effective attackers
The Premier League players providing the most “bang for their buck” in terms of goals and assists:
Rank
Player
Club
Position
Apps
Assists
Goals
Total goals and assists
Cost per goal contribution
Market Value (£)
1.
Danny Welbeck
Brighton & Hove Albion
Centre-Forward
35
1
13
14
£248,571
£3,480,000
2.
Raúl Jiménez
Fulham F.C.
Centre-Forward
34
3
9
12
£290,000
£3,480,000
3.
Zian Flemming
Burnley F.C.
Centre-Forward
27
0
10
10
£1,044,000
£10,440,000
4.
Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United
Attacking Midfield
33
20
8
28
£1,242,857
£34,800,000
5.
Jaidon Anthony
Burnley F.C.
Left Wing
35
4
8
12
£1,305,000
£15,660,000
6
Leandro Trossard
Arsenal
Left Winger
30
6
6
12
£1,450,000
£17,400,000
7
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Leeds United
Centre-Forward
32
1
12
13
£1,472,308
£19,140,000
8
Jarrod Bowen
West Ham
Right Winger
36
10
8
18
£1,691,667
£30,450,000
9
Richarlison
Tottenham Hotspur
Centre-Forward
29
4
10
14
£1,740,000
£24,360,000
10
Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa
Centre-Forward
35
2
12
14
£1,864,286
£26,100,000
Source(s):
Methodology:
Player data was sourced from Transfermarkt, including current market values and 2025/26 season statistics – as of Tuesday, May 12th 2026.
A minimum threshold of 10 goal contributions and 20 appearances was applied, with only attacking players and attacking midfielders included in the analysis to avoid positional skew.
Total goal contributions were calculated by combining goals and assists for each player.
A “cost per contribution” metric was calculated using: Market value (£) ÷ total goal contributions
Players were ranked from lowest to highest cost per contribution, with lower values indicating better value for money.
