We take a look at all the stars who have clocked record speeds, including Walker, Van de Ven, Salah and Traore
After West Ham United’s signing of Adama Traore, a player renowned for his speed, football writer Adrian Clarke looks at the fastest players in Premier League history.
Van de Ven the fastest EVER
Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven is the fastest player on record, since Opta began recording such data at the start of the 2020/21 season.
The fastest speeds since start of 2020/21
Player
Top speed (km/h)
Date
Opp.
Micky van de Ven (TOT)
37.38
31 Jan 2024
BRE
Kyle Walker (MCI)
37.31
14 May 2023
EVE
Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL)
37.30
30 Aug 2025
EVE
Micky van de Ven (TOT)
37.23
13 Apr 2024
NEW
Micky van de Ven (TOT)
37.12
29 Sep 2024
MUN
Chiedozie Ogbene (LUT)
36.93
16 Sep 2023
FUL
Anthony Elanga (NFO)
36.91
7 Apr 2024
TOT
Pedro Neto (WOL)
36.86
23 Sep 2023
LUT
Jakub Moder (BHA)
36.84
18 Feb 2024
SHU
Dominik Szoboszlai (LIV)
36.76
16 Sep 2023
WOL
Dara O’Shea (BUR)
36.73
4 Nov 2023
CRY
Antonio Rudiger (CHE)
36.72
29 Dec 2021
BHA
Matheus Nunes (MCI)
36.72
2 Nov 2024
BOU
Brennan Johnson (NFO)
36.7
18 Feb 2023
MCI
Anthony Gordon (NEW)
36.68
30 Sep 2023
BUR
Anthony Elanga (NFO)
36.66
1 Apr 2025
MUN
Amadou Onana (EVE)
36.65
21 Oct 2023
LIV
Tariq Lamptey (BHA)
36.64
20 Sep 2020
NEW
Mohamed Salah (LIV)
36.64
27 Nov 2021
SOU
Adama Traore (WOL)
36.64
11 Dec 2021
MCI
Van de Ven is one of only three Premier League players to have been clocked at a top speed of over 37km/hr, and incredibly he has done so on THREE different occasions.
He set his fastest speed of 37.38km/h in Spurs’ 3-2 win over Brentford in January 2024.
Watch: Van de Ven’s fastest moments
Manchester City legend Kyle Walker was the first to make it into that exclusive club, registering 37.31km/hr during a 3-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park, back in May 2023.
Towards the end of a long and arduous treble-winning campaign, the right-back, 32 years of age at the time, was still full of running.
It remains the second fastest top-flight sprint on record during this period – and Walker is the only player to have made the top 20 while aged over 30.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jackson Tchatchoua is the third-fastest player on record. He was recorded at 37.3km/h in August 2025. That is also by far the fastest speed recorded by a player in 2025/26 after 23 Matchweeks.
Top 10 fastest players of season so far
PL 25/26
Top speed (km/h)
Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL)
37.3
Destiny Udogie (TOT)
36.4
Anthony Elanga (NEW)
36.4
Bryan Mbeumo (MUN)
36.3
Pedro Neto (CHE)
36.3
Anthony Gordon (NEW)
36.3
Jeremie Frimpong (LIV)
36.2
Daniel James (LEE)
36.1
Yankuba Minteh (BHA)
36.1
Nico O’Reilly (MCI)
36.0
Which positions tend to be quickest?
As you can ascertain from this season’s top speed list (above), players who occupy wide areas – full-backs like Destiny Udogie, Tchatchoua and Jeremie Frimpong, and wingers such as Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon and Daniel James – tend to be the fastest.
Remarkably, there is not one natural centre forward on the list. Pedro Neto and Bryan Mbeumo can play as strikers, but their respective first-choice roles are as wide forwards.
Sprinting is a young man’s game
When Walker, at the age of 32, joined the 37km/h club, it was an outlier when it comes to the optimum age for players to be at their paciest.
When you study the top 10 speeds on record since 2020/21, eight were produced by players who were between 21 and 24 at the time.
Walker and former Luton Town winger Chiedozie Ogbene (26) are the only individuals who did not fall into that bracket.
Ages of players when fastest times recorded since 2020/21
Age
Player
Top speed (km/h)
22
Micky van de Ven (TOT)
37.38
32
Kyle Walker (MCI)
37.31
23
Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL)
37.30
22
Micky van de Ven (TOT)
37.23
23
Micky van de Ven (TOT)
37.12
26
Chiedozie Ogbene (LUT)
36.93
21
Anthony Elanga (NFO)
36.91
23
Pedro Neto (WOL)
36.86
24
Jakub Moder (BHA)
36.84
22
Dominik Szoboszlai (LIV)
36.76
While every player has their own unique physical development curve, this pattern suggests that the early 20s should be considered their prime years for power and speed.