Fastest Premier League Player 2026/27: Barcola Leads Speed Charts

Bradley Barcola is the fastest player in the Premier League in 2026/27 so far after hitting 35.93km/h on his Liverpool debut

Bradley Barcola has made an immediate impact at Liverpool, recording a top speed of 35.93km/h against Ipswich Town just six minutes after coming on for his Premier League debut. The figures are the fastest officially recorded speeds published as of 15 September 2026.

• Competition: Premier League 2026/27
• Data cut-off: 15 September 2026
• Current leader: Bradley Barcola (Liverpool) — 35.93km/h
• Closest challenger: Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United) — 35.36km/h
• Last season's fastest: 37.30km/h (Barcola is 1.37km/h short)
• Status: Provisional — rankings will change as more matches are played

The numbers

Every speed listed below is the fastest officially recorded for that player in the 2026/27 Premier League season so far. The rankings cover the opening weeks of the campaign only.

Bradley 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 settled.

Several players have already exceeded their 2025/26 maximum. Ian Maatsen has improved on his previous best of 34.68km/h by 0.28km/h, making him the only player in the current top 10 with a confirmed improvement on last season's listed figure.

Player-by-player: the 2026/27 speed rankings

1. Bradley Barcola, Liverpool — 35.93km/h

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.

His 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.

2. Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United — 35.36km/h

Mbeumo sits second after reaching 35.36km/h for Manchester United against Everton. The figure confirms his status as one of the division's most effective runners, although it remains below his best speed from last season.

Mbeumo reached 36.34km/h during the 2025/26 campaign, placing him among the 10 fastest players in the competition. His current-season best is therefore 0.98km/h slower than the mark he produced last year.

That difference should not be interpreted as evidence that he has become slower. A recorded maximum depends heavily on match circumstances and whether a player is given enough open space to reach full speed. If Mbeumo can match his 2025/26 figure, he would overtake Barcola's current benchmark and move to the top of this season's rankings.

3= Milan van Ewijk, Coventry City — 35.26km/h

Van Ewijk has made an immediate impression for Coventry City by recording a top speed of 35.26km/h. The Dutch full-back is a new entry in the Premier League speed rankings, having played outside the division last season.

His pace is one of Coventry's most useful assets as they adapt to top-flight football. Van Ewijk can use his speed to overlap in attacking situations before recovering quickly when possession changes hands. That combination is especially important for a full-back playing in a team likely to face periods of sustained pressure.

His current sprint places him only 0.10km/h behind Mbeumo and level with Pedro Neto. It also gives Coventry one of the fastest defenders in the league.

3= Pedro Neto, Chelsea — 35.26km/h

Neto shares third place with Van Ewijk after reaching 35.26km/h for Chelsea against Brighton & Hove Albion. Neto also appeared among the fastest players of 2025/26, when he registered a maximum speed of 36.32km/h. That was 1.06km/h faster than his best effort in the new campaign.

The Chelsea winger is especially dangerous because he can maintain much of his pace while carrying the ball. Top-speed measurements often record off-the-ball running, but Neto can also lead counterattacks and beat defenders without surrendering possession.

His 2025/26 performance indicates that he has the capacity to challenge Barcola's lead. Neto only needs the right match situation and enough open space to approach his previous maximum.

5. Rayan, Bournemouth — 35.14km/h

Rayan has recorded a top speed of 35.14km/h for Bournemouth, placing him fifth in the early standings. As a new entrant to the Premier League rankings, he does not have a comparable top-flight figure from the 2025/26 campaign. His performance instead provides the first benchmark for his career in the competition.

His pace gives Bournemouth an outlet when they recover possession. Even when he does not receive the ball, his movement can force defenders to retreat and create space for teammates. His early figure also puts him within touching distance of the leading group. A relatively small improvement would move him above Van Ewijk, Neto and Mbeumo.

6. Kristoffer Ajer, Brentford — 35.08km/h

Ajer is one of the more surprising names in the top 10. The Brentford defender has reached 35.08km/h this season, demonstrating that exceptional speed is not limited to smaller wingers and attacking full-backs.

At approximately 1.98 metres tall, Ajer combines an unusually large frame with impressive straight-line speed. His long stride allows him to cover ground rapidly once he reaches full pace. That recovery speed is extremely valuable for a central defender. It enables Ajer to chase attackers towards his own goal, defend space behind an advanced back line and move across to cover for teammates. His presence in the rankings makes him one of the most distinctive athletes in the competition.

7. Ian Maatsen, Aston Villa — 34.96km/h

Maatsen has reached 34.96km/h for Aston Villa, improving on the 34.68km/h maximum he recorded during the 2025/26 season. That represents an increase of 0.28km/h and makes Maatsen one of the few players to have already exceeded his best figure from last year.

His speed supports an adventurous style of play. Maatsen can overlap, move into central areas and make forward runs without leaving his team permanently exposed when possession is lost. The Aston Villa defender is currently the only player in the 2026/27 top 10 with a confirmed improvement on his previous season's listed maximum.

8. Reinildo Mandava, Sunderland — 34.87km/h

Reinildo has registered a top speed of 34.87km/h for Sunderland. His inclusion illustrates the importance of recovery pace for modern defenders. He can use his acceleration to cover space behind teammates, move across the defensive line or pursue an attacker breaking towards goal.

Unlike some of the younger players on the list, Reinildo combines his speed with significant experience. That enables him to judge when to engage an opponent and when to delay before accelerating. His figure is slightly below the 35km/h threshold, but it is still enough to place him comfortably inside the early-season top 10.

9. Anthony Elanga, Newcastle United — 34.86km/h

Elanga has recorded a leading speed of 34.86km/h for Newcastle United this season. That figure is well below his 2025/26 maximum of 36.35km/h, which placed him sixth in last season's final rankings. The difference between the two speeds is 1.49km/h.

Elanga also has a history of reaching even higher speeds in the Premier League. His pace has consistently made him one of the competition's most dangerous transition players. His relatively modest position in the current list is therefore unlikely to offer an accurate picture of his maximum capability. If he approaches last season's figure, he would move ahead of Barcola and take first place. Elanga is consequently one of the strongest candidates to overtake the early leader.

10. Cristhian Mosquera, Arsenal — 34.83km/h

Mosquera closes the early top 10 with a top speed of 34.83km/h for Arsenal. The defender's presence underlines how many centre-backs and full-backs now feature in the league's fastest-player standings.

Why Barcola leads — and why it will not last

Bradley Barcola tops the chart because his sprint came in a transition moment against Ipswich Town, exactly the scenario in which his acceleration is most devastating. He only needed six minutes to hit 35.93km/h after replacing a teammate, which tells you how quickly Liverpool's new signing reaches top gear. But that figure sits 1.37km/h below last season's fastest recorded speed, so the benchmark is beatable.

Bryan Mbeumo and Pedro Neto are the obvious threats. Both have proven 2025/26 maxima above 36km/h — 36.34km/h for Mbeumo, 36.32km/h for Neto — and both need only one open-field situation to surpass Barcola. Anthony Elanga is the wildcard: his 36.35km/h last season was faster than either of them, and his current 34.86km/h looks like a product of Newcastle's early fixtures rather than any decline.

The defenders on the list tell a different story. Kristoffer Ajer at 1.98m and Reinildo Mandava show that recovery pace is now a non-negotiable for centre-backs and full-backs in teams that defend high or face sustained pressure. Coventry's Milan van Ewijk is the newcomer to watch — a full-back whose overlapping and recovery speed suits a newly promoted side.

Talking points

• Barcola's 35.93km/h came in only six minutes off the bench — does that make his lead more or less impressive than a full-match sprint?
• Three players (Mbeumo, Neto, Elanga) have proven faster top speeds than Barcola's current mark. The leaderboard is a snapshot, not a verdict.
• Ian Maatsen is the only top-10 player to have beaten his 2025/26 figure. Is that a sign of genuine improvement or just an early-season quirk?
• Ajer's 35.08km/h at 1.98m raises a question: why are centre-backs now outrunning some wingers in the Premier League?

What happens next

The rankings are provisional and will change as more matches are played. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle all have fixtures ahead in which their fastest players could find the open space needed to break 36km/h. The key question is whether anyone can reach last season's fastest recorded speed of 37.30km/h, or whether the early-season figures will settle below that mark.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the fastest player in the Premier League in 2026/27?

Bradley Barcola of Liverpool, with a top speed of 35.93km/h recorded against Ipswich Town on his Premier League debut.

What is the fastest speed recorded in the Premier League this season?

35.93km/h, set by Bradley Barcola. That is 1.37km/h slower than the fastest speed recorded in the Premier League last season.

Which players could overtake Barcola in the speed rankings?

Bryan Mbeumo (36.34km/h in 2025/26), Pedro Neto (36.32km/h) and Anthony Elanga (36.35km/h) have all posted faster top speeds in the past and could move above Barcola if they match those figures.

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