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Strikers who are efficient in front of goal are a blessing to any team in the world. Though volume shooting is important, teams that don't see too many opportunities themselves need to have a striker who converts changes of ranging difficulties and get them a goal.
There have been great players who have shown the ability to create something out of nothing in and around the box such as the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Mauro Icardi, and other such prolific strikers who don't take too many chances to score goals and score at a consistent rate as well. Whether it's a simple tap-in or an inventive and innovative finish, they show up and try to win the game for their team.
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Here, we have a look at the most efficient striker in front of goal in terms of conversion rate in each of the top 5 leagues of Europe.
5. Lucas Perez | La Liga Santander | 29.4%
Alaves striker Lucas Perez comes in at fifth as the most efficient striker in La Liga and is enjoying a fruitful season in his homeland. The 31-year-old was signed by Arsenal ahead of the 2016-17 season and went on to see out two unsuccessful seasons at the Emirates. A loan spell at Deportivo La Coruna and a brief stint at West Ham later, Alaves snapped him for a cut-price €2.5m deal. Alaves currently sit 14th in the La Liga, 8 points above the drop zone.
Perez, though, is having a respectable season so far. In his 24 games (1759 minutes) for Asier Garitano's men, the Spaniard has scored 10 goals coming in at 175.9 minutes per goal, along with a handy 5 assists. His conversion rate of 29.4% sees him as the most clinical striker in the Spanish top-flight, but the figure is the lowest in comparison to other European leagues.
4. Jamie Vardy | Premier League | 29.8%
Leicester City frontman Jamie Vardy has been one of the most impressive players in the Premier League this season despite his ongoing goal drought. The Englishman has been one of the thrusting forces pushing Leicester for a finish in the top four and have a very real possibility of finishing third. Vardy is currently joint-highest goalscorer in the league alongside Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Foxes' menacing forward at the end of 2019 was at a point where he outperformed his expected goals (xG) by a stunning 5.52, further reinstating his rare ability to convert even the hardest of chances. His xG a day before New Years's Eve was at 11.48, but had an actual tally of 17 goals scored in that period. It is, due to this, unsurprising to note that he is the most efficient striker in front of goal in the English top-flight this season with a conversion rate of 29.8%. Chipping in with 4 assists, the former English international has struck every 129 minutes in the league.
3. Mauro Icardi | Ligue 1 | 31.4%
Former Inter Milan captain Mauro Icardi was shipped off to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer on a loan deal with a purchase option upon the arrival of Antonio Conte. The Argentine, however, has been in superb touch in the French capital and has given Thomas Tuchel's men another dimension in the final third. Icardi was generally viewed as a player who doesn't need to see too much of the ball to make an impact given the Nerazzurri's largely pragmatic approach. He has done no harm to his reputation this season and seems to have found his feet amidst controversies after a relatively poor 2018/19 season.
The former La Masia player has scored 11 goals in the French top-flight this season at in 19 games (1250 minutes) and chipped in with 3 assists in the process. In the UEFA Champions League, Icardi notched 5 in 6, striking once every 80 minutes. The PSG forward is also the most clinical striker in Ligue 1 with a conversion rate of 31.4%.
2. Felipe Caicedo | Serie A | 32%
Lazio striker Felipe Caicedo is undoubtedly the most surprising inclusion on this list but such as been his influence in limited opportunities this season. The former Manchester City player has gone on to become a journeyman, having played in seven different leagues in his career so far. Lazio brought the Ecuadorian to Italy after a three-year-stay at Espanyol for a fee of €2.5m.
Although his fellow forward Ciro Immobile has been in the spotlight for his unbelievable goalscoring form, Caicedo has had a telling impact on the team despite a limited number of starts. The former Ecuador international has appeared 20 times in the league this season, out of which 11 were starts, and has a tally of 8 goals and 2 assists in that period. Striking once every 108 minutes, Caicedo is the most clinical striker in the Italian top-flight with a conversion rate of 32%.
1. Erling Haaland | Bundesliga | 56.3%
The teenager who has the world at his feet, Erling Braut Haaland has lit up every competition he has set foot in this season and has firmly established himself as one of the hottest properties in world football. The Norwegian was courted by his compatriot and manager of Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but the 19-year-old chose to leave RB Salzburg for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Unsurprisingly, everything he's kicked has turned to gold so far in Germany.
Haaland has played 6 games (395 minutes) in the Bundesliga this season scoring 9 goals in the process, striking at an astonishing 44 minutes per goal. His goalscoring feats were rewarded with his first Bundesliga Player of the Month award in 2020 and he has vowed to keep his record intact. The former Molde striker has a mind-boggling conversion rate of 56.3% in the league, making him the most effecient striker in front of goal in Europe's top 5 leagues.
