The race to be the Premier League’s fastest player is under way once again.
The opening weeks of the 2026/27 season have produced an early leader in Bradley Barcola, while established speedsters such as Bryan Mbeumo, Pedro Neto and Anthony Elanga are already appearing near the top of the rankings.
However, early-season speeds do not tell the whole story. Comparing this campaign’s figures with data from the completed 2025/26 season shows which players are approaching their previous best and how far the current field remains behind last year’s fastest sprint.
The 2026/27 figures are the fastest officially recorded speeds published as of 15 September 2026. Since the season is still in its early stages, the rankings are provisional and will change as more matches are played.
The Fastest Premier League Players in 2026/27 So Far
Bradley Barcola, Liverpool: 35.93km/h
Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United: 35.36km/h
Milan van Ewijk, Coventry City: 35.26km/h
Pedro Neto, Chelsea: 35.26km/h
Rayan, Bournemouth: 35.14km/h
Kristoffer Ajer, Brentford: 35.08km/h
Ian Maatsen, Aston Villa: 34.96km/h
Reinildo Mandava, Sunderland: 34.87km/h
Anthony Elanga, Newcastle United: 34.86km/h
Cristhian Mosquera, Arsenal: 34.83km/h
1. Bradley Barcola, Liverpool: 35.93km/h
Bradley Barcola is the fastest player in the 2026/27 Premier League so far.
The Liverpool winger reached 35.93km/h against Ipswich Town, recording the speed only six minutes after coming on for his Premier League debut.
Barcola’s early lead is particularly impressive because he produced it without playing the full match. It immediately demonstrated the acceleration and direct running Liverpool added to their attack by signing him from Paris Saint-Germain.
His speed is most dangerous during transitions. Barcola can begin from a wide position before accelerating into the space behind a full-back, providing an immediate outlet when Liverpool recover possession.
There is still room for the early benchmark to rise. Barcola’s 35.93km/h sprint is 1.37km/h slower than the fastest speed recorded in the Premier League last season, suggesting the race is far from…
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