The forwards with the highest xG across Europe this season

We may only be a few weeks into the 2022/23 season, but we are already seeing some emerging patterns when it comes to the players with the highest xG.

We’ve checked out the top 10 forwards from Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to their xG so far this season. 

 

10. Lois Openda

Lois Openda may only have one goal to show for it, but he currently ranks amongst the top forwards in Europe when it comes to xG. 

So far this season he has accumulated an xG of 2.2 goals for Lens, which is also one of the highest in Ligue 1. 

The Belgian forward spent last season with Vitesse, where he scored 18 goals in the Eredivisie. 

 

9. Folarin Balogun 

Last season didn’t quite go to plan for Folarin Balogun as he only managed to score three goals whilst on loan with Middlesbrough in the Championship. 

The Arsenal forward is now on loan with Reims in Ligue 1 and he has started the season on fire. 

Balogun has already scored three goals from an xG of just 2.2. 

 

8. Karim Benzema 

Karim Benzema remains as the obvious frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or this year and he has been getting into the goalscoring positions we would expect again this season. 

The Frenchman has an xG of 2.3 goals in La Liga this season, but he only has one goal to show for it. 

 

7. Thomas Muller 

Bayern Munich have already scored 15 goals across their opening three matches in the Bundesliga and Thomas Muller has a higher xG than any other player in the side. 

The German forward has an xG of 2.4 goals this season, but he has only found the back of the net once so far. 

 

6. Jeremy Le Douaron 

Brest have averaged two goals per game so far in Ligue 1 and Jeremy Le Douaron has been their biggest goalscoring threat so far. 

The Frenchman has two goals to show for his overall xG of 2.4 so far. 

 

5. Victor Osimhen 

Across the summer we have seen some speculation when it comes to Victor Osimhen’s future, but he has started the season well for Napoli. 

Last season he scored 14 goals in Serie A and he will have his sights set on beating that tally this time around. 

The Nigerian forward has racked up an xG of 2.5 goals this season and he has scored two goals so far. 

 

4. Borja Iglesias 

The ever-dependable Borja Iglesias currently ranks at the top of the La Liga tree when it comes to xG this season. 

The Spanish forward has scored three goals from an xG of 2.6 goals so far. 

The 29-year-old has scored 21 league goals across his last two seasons and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down this year. 

 

3. Kylian Mbappe 

Kylian Mbappe missed PSG’s first game of the season, but that hasn’t stopped him from racking up an xG of 2.8 goals, which is more than any other player in Ligue 1. 

It only took Mbappe eight seconds to open the scoring against Montpellier at the weekend, before he went on to score a hat-trick. 

The Frenchman already has four goals this season as well as a missed penalty attempt. 

 

2. Aleksandar Mitrovic 

Aleksandar Mitrovic has already started to undo the perception that he can’t score goals in the Premier League as he is already off the mark with three goals this season. 

The Serbian striker has matched his xG of three with his goal output so far with strikes against Liverpool and Brentford. 

 

1. Erling Haaland 

When Erling Haaland signed for Manchester City, we knew he would be getting the best service in Europe. 

So far this season, no forward across Europe’s top five leagues has racked up a higher xG than Erling Haaland has. 

The 22-year-old has scored three goals from an xG of three and the Golden Boot will no doubt be a target of his this season.