Salah, Kante, Torres: Who had the greatest Premier League debut season ever?

Erling Haaland will be a Manchester City player next season.  

City have been crying out for a consistent goalscorer since the legendary Sergio Aguero left the club, which in Haaland, they’ve secured in abundance.

Despite being just 21, the explosive forward has netted 85 goals across his 88 appearances with Borussia Dortmund and has built himself a formidable reputation across Europe.

For that reason, Haaland’s arrival is sure to be one of the most hotly anticipated transfers in Premier League history.

Rival fans are nervously considering the prospect of a Kevin De Bruyne – Haaland link-up, a deadly duo that could maybe even surpass the iconic Gerrard – Torres partnership of the late noughties.

Bookmakers are already offering freakishly low prices on specials regarding Haaland’s expected goalscoring exploits, with Betfair providing odds as low as 11/10 for the soon to be City striker to surpass the 27-league goal mark.  

If you wanted to back him for the Golden Boot, you’ll be getting prices of around 11/4 – and Haaland hasn’t even been formally presented yet!

But how often do big transfers actually hit the ground running anyway? Look at Lukaku and Sancho – the two biggest transfers of the last summer window – they’ve both flopped spectacularly.  

Instant success is never a given; however, it is possible.

So, with that in mind, let’s consider how exactly it’s done best, by ranking the 12 greatest Premier League debut seasons ever.

12. Benni McCarthy

McCarthy was no stranger to the English footballing audience when he signed for Blackburn Rovers in 2006. The South African had played in Jose Mourinho’s Porto team of 2004, and his two goals in the Champions League against Manchester United proved the catalyst that had the