IT is an old adage but goals win matches. Therefore prolific goalscorers are worth their weight in gold amidst modern finance driven football.
That’s particularly true in our highly competitive EFL Championship. Quite simply, promoted teams will subsequently pocket a minimum of £140 million even if they finish rock bottom of the Premier League table 12 months later.
So who will be top marksman in the Championship during this upcoming 2024/25 campaign? Here are the players I’ll be watching out for alongside pertinent pointers to assist your betting…
Sammie Szmodics - Blackburn Rovers
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2023/24 goals scored: 33 in League and Cup
Szmodics upset all the Championship betting patterns in becoming 2023/24 clear divisional leading scorer.
Blackburn Rovers slumbered 19th and just avoided relegation by three points so I wonder where they would have been without the productive input of Szmodics pushing on from deep.
Everton are considering signing the Republic of Ireland international despite Blackburn offering him a pay rise to stay at Ewood Park. He is under contract until June 2026 with the option of an extra 12 months.
Morgan Whittaker - Plymouth Argyle
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2023/24 goals scored: 20 in League and Cup
Quite similar to the Sammie Szmodics situation at Blackburn Rovers, Whittaker supplied multiple goals for a struggling side. Plymouth were 21st in the rankings only escaping relegation by a one point.
Whittaker was deservedly selected for our EFL Championship Team of the Season. Consequently, newly installed Argyle boss Wayne Rooney will be desperate to hold on to his star man who is wanted by Premier League duo Brentford and Wolves plus numerous overseas clubs.
Indeed, Plymouth rejected an £8.5 million bid from Italian giants Lazio towards the denouement of last January’s transfer window.
Emmanuel Latte Lath – Middlesbrough
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2023/24 goals scored: 18 in League and Cup
Having overcome injury, Latte Lath completed the season delivering 11 goals in 12 games.
His agent Matthias Veneroso reportedly told Italian TV channel SportItalia that this form could attract transfer attention so both Boro and Latte Lath may have a decision to make going forward.
Nevertheless, the player has stressed he is happy on Teesside and is very much eagerly anticipating the 2024/25 fixtures.
Josh Sargent - Norwich City
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2023/24 goals scored: 16 in League
Sargent’s goal haul is especially impressive because he missed four months of the season due to a serious ankle injury. He was injured while scoring in Norwich City’s 4-0 victory at Huddersfield Town on 26th August and required surgery to repair ligament damage.
After returning against Millwall on 29th December, the USA international duly helped his Canaries’ team mates to Play-Off qualification.
Oliver McBurnie - Sheffield United
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2023/24 goals scored: 6 in the Premier League
Like everyone at Sheffield United, McBurnie suffered a disappointing year. The bottom placed Blades merely won three Premier League encounters and concluded 16 points adrift of survival.
Even so, McBurnie rattled the net 15 times amongst his previous Championship stint of 2022/2023 and will be truly reinvigorated in the forthcoming campaign.
I believe his direct style is more suited to second tier football’s hurly-burly. He has also played down speculation about him moving away from Bramall Lane.
Carlton Morris - Luton Town
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2023/24 goals scored: 11 in the Premier League
Morris did well to notch double figures in light of Luton Town ending up six points below the Premier League’s dreaded dotted line. He’s hit 31 goals overall in 73 League starts for the Hatters incorporating 20 in their 2022/23 Championship Play-Off winning achievement.
Luton boss Rob Edwards has confirmed they don’t need to sell any players following last season’s relegation so Morris will be a key component again this time around.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
