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Many of these forwards were thought to be past their best, not capable of influencing games. However, these players have silenced critics with their good performances this season. Many of these players have become absolutely critical for their teams now, with one of them even challenging for the golden boot award.
These strikers have recovered from lacklustre spells in the previous seasons to once again influence games decisively. Their performances have improved so drastically, that some of them are even back in contention for a place in the national squad.
We take a look at 5 strikers experiencing a second wind in their career.
#5 Salomon Kalou – Hertha BSC
The talented 30-year-old has really rediscovered his form for Hertha BSC this season. The Bundesliga side are surprisingly fourth in the standings, and they have Kalou’s goals to thank for their incredible run this season.
The Ivory Coast international left Chelsea after struggling to nail down a regular starting berth in the first team squad. After leaving Chelsea, he was in good form at Lille for a couple of seasons scoring 30 goals in 67 league appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
In his first season at Hertha, Kalou struggled to make much of an impact only netting 6 goals in 27 appearances as Hertha narrowly avoided relegation. However, this season it has been a completely different story.
Kalou is playing some of the best football in his career as he has already scored 14 goals in 27 appearances for the Bundesliga side. Kalou was considered to be one of the most talented forwards in Chelsea and he is finally living up to his potential after a couple of bad seasons.
Hertha will be hoping Kalou’s good form continues as they look to secure Champions League football next season.
#4 Andy Carroll – West Ham United
Andy Carroll first came into prominence when he put in some amazing performances for Newcastle in the Championship and Premier League. Considered to be the classic English ‘number 9’ type of forward, Carroll seemed to have it all. He was deadly in the air, had a good left foot and could score some stunning long-range goals.
His good performances earned him a huge big money move to Premier League giants Liverpool. Having been bought for £35 million, Andy Carroll struggled to make much of an impact at Merseyside with both form and fitness issues dogging the England international.
After an indifferent spell at Liverpool, he moved on to West Ham where his style of play was more appreciated. After struggling with injuries in the previous seasons, Carroll has finally started to recapture his form from his Newcastle days having scored 6 goals in his last 6 appearances for West Ham.
He has already scored a stunning hat-trick against Arsenal, and with West Ham still in with a chance of securing European football next season, Slaven Bilic will be hoping that his striker continues his impressive resurgence.
#3 Jonas Goncalves Oliviera – Benfica
Jonas has been in stunning form for Benfica this season and he is one of the competitors for the Golden Boot award, already having scored 33 goals this season. However, things were not always rosy for this 32-year old Brazilian striker.
A late bloomer, Jonas got a taste of professional football only at the age of 20. After a brief spell at Santos, Jonas went on to join Gremio where he made a name for himself as a prolific goalscorer. During his time at Gremio, he scored 72 goals in 131 appearances, earning him a move to Spanish club Valencia.
After three seasons at valencia where his form always blew hot and cold, Jonas made a move to Portuguese giants Benfica. In Benfica, the Brazilian started rediscovering his goalscoring form and in fact it would not be wrong to state that he is playing the best football of his career this season.
In his two seasons at Benfica, Jonas has scored an amazing 64 goals in 76 appearances making him one of the deadliest strikers in the world.
His goals this season have propelled Benfica to the top of the League table and they will be hoping that he continues his amazing form and delivers them the title.
#2 Fernando Torres – Atletico Madrid
Fernando Torres has seen the highs and lows probably more than anyone else in the game. An absolutely sensational striker, Torres was at the top of his game when he was playing at Liverpool. Considered to eb one of the best players in the world, Torres wowed Liverpool fans and tormented opposition defences with his mazy runs, silky first touches and clinical finishing.
It all started going downhill for the Spaniard when he moved to Chelsea. Torres endured a horrible spell there going on long goal droughts and missing easy chances. He did rediscover glimpses of his form under Rafael Benitez, but he never really played upto his full potential at the London club.
After the spell at Chelsea, he spent a very short time at AC Milan after which he made an extremely emotional return to his childhood club, Atletico Madrid. After a decent first season at Atletico, where he scored against both Real Madrid and Barcelona, Torres is finally playing like the Torres of old in the recent months.
The Spaniard has scored in each of his last 5 appearances, helping to maintain his side’s chase for both La Liga and the Champions League. Ever since 2016, Torres has looked really sharp in front of goal tucking away chances and creating plenty of goals.
With his contract running out at the end of this season, Atletico Madrid fans will be hoping that Torres stays at the club next season as well.
#1 Aritz Aduriz – Athletic Bilbao
Aritz Aduriz is 35 years old now, and at an age where most footballers think about hanging up their boots, Aduriz is playing the best football of his career. Aduriz has played the majority of his career at Athletic Bilbao although he has played for a number of Spanish clubs such as Valladolid, Mallorca and Valencia.
After breaking into the first team of Bilbao at the age of 19, Aduriz had a decent spell at Valladolid. After 3 years there, he returned to Atheltic Bilbao, but failed to make much of an impression due to the emergence of Fernando Llorente.
He moved on from Athletic to Mallorca where he put in some solid performances without being too spectacular. He had a good time at Mallorca and a decent first season at Valencia which gave him his first international cap for Spain.
However, after an indifferent second season at Valencia, Aduriz came back to his childhood club Bilbao where he has been amazingly consistent, scoring important goals at crucial times. This season Aduriz has been in stunning form and is the highest scoring Spaniard in La Liga.
His good form earned him a recall to the Spanish national squad after a period of 6 years. He even scored a goal for Spain, showing that he is very much a man in form.
With the squad for the Euros to be selected next month, Aduriz will be hoping that his good form ensures him a ticket to France.
