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UEFA Europa League marksmen chase Alan's total

With FC Salzburg's eight-goal Alan out of the running, UEFA.com sizes up the most prolific strikers left in the competition, with Romelu Lukaku leading the line.

2014/15 UEFA Europa League round of 16 top scorers ©Getty Images

Alan scored eight goals for FC Salzburg in the UEFA Europa League group stage but then left to join a Chinese club. With six-goal strikers Stefanos Athanasiadis, Guillaume Hoarau and Jonatan Soriano also out of the running, UEFA.com introduces the round of 16's top marksmen.

6: Romelu Lukaku (Everton FC)
"He's showing he is a natural goalscorer," said Everton boss Roberto Martínez after the Belgian international followed up his first-leg hat-trick against BSC Young Boys with two more in the round of 32 second leg in Liverpool. "Sometimes you need to remember the age he is, yet he is such a mature goalscorer." At 21, the former RSC Anderlecht prodigy is showing some of the predatory instincts of his role model Didier Drogba, his one-time team-mate at Chelsea FC.

5: Luciano Vietto (Villarreal CF)
The Argentinian's five goals are only part of the story; he has also set up six more, which goes some way to explaining why the 21-year-old – signed from Racing Club de Avellaneda last summer – is commanding the attention of a number of big clubs already. Extraordinarily quick and a fine striker, he is doing his best to keep his feet on the ground. "You have to take praise in your stride," Vietto said. "These things come and go in a footballer's career."

Alan scored eight group stage goals
Alan scored eight group stage goals©Getty Images

5: Lior Refaelov (Club Brugge KV)
After the 28-year-old Israeli's treble in a 4-0 Group B win against FC København, club-mate Víctor Vázquez said: "We knew he was good, but scoring three times in the Europa League is not something you do every day. And they all were fantastic goals as well." With five strikes in all – plus three assists – the pacy former Maccabi Haifa FC man is showing ability with either foot while making a huge contribution from either midfield or out on the wing.

5: Demba Ba (Beşiktaş JK)
Unable to command a regular place at Chelsea, the French-born Senegalese international headed to Istanbul last summer. He promptly hit a hat-trick against Feyenoord in UEFA Champions League qualifying and five more goals in the UEFA Europa League Group C. Strong and agile, he is doing brilliantly in Turkey, though he has had to go easy on the local cuisine. "I cut out Turkish food because I gained a lot of weight," the 29-year-old explained.

4: Jonathan De Guzmán (SSC Napoli)
The Canadian-born Netherlands midfielder has made good use of his playing time in the UEFA Europa League, notably netting a Group I treble against Young Boys to strengthen his push for a regular start in Serie A. "I would like to play more minutes in Serie A, even if I always accept the coach's decision," he reasoned. Four goals from six games en route to the round of 16 certainly speak volumes for the 27-year-old's attacking threat.

4: Gerard Moreno (Villarreal CF)
Four goals in as many outings – all in Group A – make Moreno the most efficient marksman on the UEFA Europa League leaderboard. After a successful loan spell at RCD Mallorca last term, the 22-year-old forward is a powerful presence and possesses a good shot – as he showed again in a recent 1-1 Liga draw at Real Madrid CF.

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