Million-pound expectations under scrutiny in the Premier League

The Premier League once again shattered spending records in the transfer market, but as the weeks go by, an uncomfortable question is starting to take shape: are the forwards signed for historic fees actually delivering on the pitch? Benjamin Šeško, Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak arrived as high-impact attacking solutions, yet their starts to the season have been more complicated than many anticipated.

Sesko and the immediate pressure at Old Trafford

At just 22 years old, Benjamin Sesko arrived at Manchester United as a major statement signing, with the club paying around $100 million to lure him away from RB Leipzig.

In seven Premier League appearances, Sesko has scored two goals in 385 minutes, figures that show flashes of promise but also inconsistency. He has displayed mobility, physical power and involvement outside the box, though he is often left isolated due to the team’s limited attacking output.

Goals against Brentford and Sunderland have eased the pressure slightly, but at Old Trafford expectations are immediate. The feeling is that the club signed him for instant impact, while the player himself is still going through a logical adaptation process given his age and circumstances.

Gyökeres: useful goals and a more collective role at Arsenal

Viktor Gyökeres presents a different case. The Swedish striker joined Arsenal after a sensational season with Sporting, where he scored 54 goals in 52 matches, in a deal that could rise to $87 million. Expectations were high, but his role under Mikel Arteta is far from exclusive.

Gyökeres has started all seven league matches, scoring three goals in 578 minutes, and has been an active part of an Arsenal side sitting atop the Premier League table. His goals against Leeds and Nottingham Forest were important, though not necessarily decisive in high-pressure fixtures.

Isak, a record signing shaped by circumstance

Alexander Isak was at the centre of one of the most talked-about moves of the summer. His contentious exit from Newcastle and record-breaking $170 million transfer to Liverpool immediately placed him under the spotlight. The issue is that his start has been heavily affected by a lack of rhythm.

Without a full pre-season, the Swedish forward has played just 181 minutes across three Premier League matches, still without a goal or a shot on target, although he has registered one assist. In the Carabao Cup, however, he did find the net against Southampton, offering glimpses of his quality.

A debate that goes beyond individual names

Beyond the individual cases, the issue appears to be structural. Modern football demands forwards who press, link play, contribute to buildup and offer much more than just finishing. Yet the market continues to price them as if goals were the sole metric.

Sesko, Gyökeres and Isak cannot be labelled as failures, but neither have they been the immediate certainties their transfers promised, at least not yet. In a league dominated by the almost unattainable standard set by Erling Haaland, the question is no longer just whether these players will improve, but whether the current footballing context even allows this type of signing to live up to such lofty expectations.

MIRA beIN SPORTS XTRA EN VIVO Y GRATIS EN YOUTUBE