Quite a number of debutants over the years have had an outstanding first campaign in the English Premier League, but the question is, who are the best first-timer to ever trod the EPL stadiums with their talents?
Here on Naijnaira, we’ll take you through those players who had a great time in the Premier League as a debutant.
So, with these article you’ll get to know or understand why the players we’ll be profiling are the finest debutants in the history of the Premier League.
Ruud van Nistelrooy – (Manchester United, 2001-02)
If you say Van Nistelrooy is one of the best foreign players to ever trod the Premier League stadiums, you won’t be wrong because of how impactful his was at Manchester United and how clinical he was in-front of goal throughout his spell at Old Trafford.
The legendary striker was so good that he became the first player to score in 10 consecutive matches, a record that stood for 13-years until Jamie Vardy broke it in Leicester’s run to win the league in 2016.
At the end of the campaign Van Nistelrooy scored 23-goals in his debut season, trailing top-scorer of that campaign Thierry Henry by a goal (24).
Ruud van Nistelrooy went on to become a cult-hero at Old Trafford, having achieved huge success at the club with his ruthlessness and proficiency in-front of goal before he left for Real Madrid.
Andy Cole – (Newcastle United, 1993-94)
Andy Cole was just 21 when he made his debut in the Premier League, having helped the Magpies won promotion to the newly created division after joining late in the previous season.
The legendary striker without much a-do hit the ground-running instantly in the league with 34-goals, and ended the campaign as the top-scorer in his debut season.
Cole who is nicknamed “Cole the goal” only last a season at Tyneside and ended up signing for Manchester United for an English record fee of £7million the following season and he thereafter went on to become a club-legend at the club.
Sergio Aguero – (Manchester City, 2011-12)
As a football enthusiast if you don’t remember Kun’s early days at City, perhaps you’ll recollect Martin Tyler’s iconic commentary scream when he scored the winning goal that won the Cityzens the league in 2012.
Aguero was signed from Atletico Madrid by City in 2011 under the Abu Dhabi new ownership for a club-record fee of £35miilion, an exorbitant fee that certainly worth everything the Argentine brought into the team.
At the end of Aguero’s debut season in the Premier League he won the Cityzens their first trophy in 35-years in the form of the FA Cup, and crowned it with the EPL title having scored 30-goals in 48 games.
Mohamed Salah – (Liverpool, 2017-18)
Salah revitalized his career in Serie A with Fiorentina and Roma, following a torrid spell at Chelsea where we could argue he wasn’t given enough chance to prove himself.
Following his phenomenon performances in Serie A, he was snapped up by the Reds for a club-record fee reported to be £37million in 2017.
At the end of the campaign his 32-goals in a 38-games in the Premier League, proved the Reds decision to bring him to Anfield was a smart decision considering his impact in the club’s Champion League run.
Erling Haaland – (Manchester City, 2022-23)
Haaland’s form and ruthlessness in some of the leagues he had played in cannot be compared to the kind of blistering run he is having at Manchester City this season.
The Norwegian ‘scoring-viking‘ has notched in 51-goals for City with just three games left to go in the league, having shattered Salah’s record of 32-goals in 38-game in his debut season.
With the Cityzens on the verge of winning the Premier League title, FA Cup, and a potential Champions League final if they oust Real Madrid in the second-leg, Haaland could still add to his tally and go on to break more record.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
