By Martin Graham
Supporters online have taken to mocking the new signings who start their careers without impact by calling them ‘007’. The term applies to forwards or attacking players who go their first seven league appearances without a goal or assist.
It first appeared in 2021 when Sky Germany shared a graphic Jadon Sancho wearing a James Bond-style suit alongside the caption ‘They call me 007: zero goals, zero assists, seven games’.
The England winger had just joined Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund for £73m after a lengthy transfer saga, and the tag quickly spread across football social media.
Players currently wearing the tag ‘007’
Liverpool’s record signing, Florian Wirtzis the latest to be hit with the label. Despite joining for £116.5m, the German is yet to score or assist in his first seven Premier League appearances.
He did, however, provide an assist in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace, but this does not count towards his league stats.
Manchester United’s new striker Matthew Cunha£62.5m signing from Wolves has also joined the unwanted list. His teammate Benjamin Šeško he narrowly avoided the same result by scoring on his sixth appearance during a 3–1 defeat at Brentford.
At Everton, arrival in the summer Thierno Barrywho moved from Villarreal for £27m, has also gone without a goal or assist in the league so far this season.
Slow starts can still lead to success
The “007” trend may be a running joke, but not every player who starts small stays that way. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry needed eight games to find the net after arriving in 1999. He scored 175 Premier League goals and won the Golden Boot four times.
Cunha himself has previously shied away from the label – his first spell at Wolves began with the same barren run before he found his groove, eventually scoring 33 goals in three seasons.
The reminder is clear: an unproductive start does not always predict failure.
