REVEALED: Arsenal forwards among Europe's 10 most clinical finishers
Scouring through the statistics in an attempt to find the best finisher in Europe’s top five leagues, a search restricted to players to have mustered more than 50 shots this season brings up exactly ten players with a conversion rate in excess of 20 per cent.
The countdown begins…
10) Krzysztof Piatek (AC Milan/Genoa) - 20.2 per cent
While Polish striker Piatek proved his potency in front of goal instantly following a summer transfer to Genoa, few would have predicted the 23-year-old would make an equally emphatic impact at AC Milan. In fact, his conversion rate has improved substantially for the rossoneri, netting five of just 12 shots in the league for his new club.
9) Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 20.7 per cent
He may be the top scorer in Europe’s top five leagues once more, netting 25 goals in La Liga, but Messi’s overall conversion rate is some way off the best. Unsurprisingly only Cristiano Ronaldo has had more shots than the Barcelona talisman (121), though the Argentine’s conversion rate is close to double that of the Portuguese.
8) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) - 20.7 per cent
Just ahead of his conversion rate by the narrowest of margins, two hat-tricks last month moved Aguero to the top of the Premier League scoring charts, taking his tally 18 this season. That haul has come from a total of 87 shots, scoring seven from 15 shots in February.
7) Duvan Zapata (Atalanta) - 21.1 per cent
Leading the way in this regard as far as Serie A is concerned, Zapata’s conversion rate has been remarkable since the start of November. Before then the Colombian failed to score with his first 27 shots of the season, with 16 goals from 49 attempts (32.7 per cent conversion).
6) Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) - 21.4 per cent
The in-form Frenchman has certainly enjoyed his second season at the Emirates more than his first to now, improving on an already impressive conversion rate. The 27-year-old has scored in six of his last eight league appearances, doubling his tally in the process, scoring 12 goals from 56 shots.
5) Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - 22.6 per cent
Another Premier League star in red hot form, Mane’s brace against Watford in midweek took his tally to six in his last six league games and ensured that this has been his most productive season in England’s top-flight in front of goal. His total of 14 goals have come from 62 attempts, leaving the Senegalese forward with the second best conversion rate in England’s top-flight of those to attempt more than 50 shots.
4) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) - 23.5 per cent
In joining teammate Lacazette in the top ten, Aubameyang ensures that Arsenal are the only team with two representatives on the leaderboard. The 29-year-old hasn’t been particularly prolific of late but nor does he have too many attempts at goal, particularly from outside the box, maintaining an excellent conversion rate.
3) Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) - 25 per cent
There’s no doubt that Lucien Favre will be delighted to have his captain back available following injury having allowed Bayern to get right back into the title race in recent times. They’ve missed Reus’ quality in the final third and on the counter having moved into a more central role, scoring 13 goals from 52 shots in the Bundesliga.
2) Luka Jovic (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 25.4 per cent
Edging out Reus as the most lethal marksman in Germany in both goals scored and conversion rate, the Bundesliga’s leader in the race for the Golden Boot is also the most clinical in front of goal. Jovic only turned 21 in December but became the first player in the division to have a direct hand in 20 goals last weekend, with 15 of his own from a modest 59 attempts.
1) Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 26.2 per cent
If there was any doubt as to whether Mbappe would be the next big thing in world football once Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo the Frenchman has quashed that emphatically this season. The 20-year-old has 22 league goals to his name this season despite starting only 16 of 20 appearances, firing off 84 shots in said outings.
