With the first game of the new Premier League season upon us Friday night, we’ve been taking a look at the markets for the Golden Boot.
*All prices with SkyBet
The current favourite for the award by some distance is of course Manchester City’s stellar summer recruit in Erling Braut Haaland. Joining the defending league champions for £51.1 million back in June, the striker who netted 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund follows in the footsteps of father Alfie Inge Haaland – a big sway in the Norwegian’s decision where next to ply his trade. Currently 11/4 to finish top scorer come May, Haaland is fancied by many to run away with the prize.
There are, however, slight concerns over Haaland’s ability to meet his huge expectations, not least after a worryingly poor display in the Community Shield last Saturday against Liverpool. Might Mohamed Salah, therefore, again be the easier and more reliable pick?
Having scored at least 19+ league goals in each season since his arrival from AS Roma in 2017, the Egyptian netted his second-highest tally last term en route to sharing the award – that after his form toward the end of the season rather nose-dived as speculation over a new deal lingered. Back focused and having scored at the King Power Stadium against the Citizens with Reds’ front line looking potent as ever, Salah’s 9/2 price looks decent to say the least.
Another big summer signing, Gabriel Jesus’s switch to Arsenal has caught the eye, as has his scintillating pre-season form with seven goals in six games including a hat-trick on his Emirates Stadium debut versus Sevilla last weekend. Still only 25-year-old, the Brazilian’s highest total was with 14 Premier League goals during the 2019/20 campaign but already looks primed to beat that this year. Could Jesus be a canny outside pick to blast Arsenal back into the Champions League and win his own honours? An 11/1 shot, Jesus looks a potential dark horse.
Tottenham Hotspur could supply another dual threat for top-scorer, perhaps driven by Heung min-son. Sharing the laces of the Golden Boot last season with Salah, it was only a last day brace from the Liverpool talisman that denied the Korean forward and Son will be central to Antonio Conte’s play this season. No doubt set to be a Fantasy Premier League must-have, Son is priced slightly longer at 14s.
His tag-team partner Harry Kane will again be a menace to the goalscoring charts at 11/2, but is his position as third favourite a little amiss? There is no doubt the England striker will again be threatening the upper echelons with a record of netting at least 21 goals in five of eight full seasons for the Lilywhites, however, after only reaching his joint-fewest amount last season with 17 goal, with the arrival of Richarlison to accompany in attack, are Kane’s powers beginning to diminish?
From a Manchester United perspective, Cristiano Ronaldo almost single-handedly kept the Red Devil’s goal tally ticking over in the final month of last season and can be grabbed at 20/1, but the Portuguese is evidently unsettled as he seeks a moves to Iberia and may not be the wisest long-shot punt. Instead, could Anthony Martial finally prove his significant talents as he settles into a number nine role under Erik Ten Hag? Showing glimpses of pre-season form that brought the Frenchman to Old Trafford back in 2015, Martial hit 17 goals three seasons ago and is capable of going on a run this term. Could he threaten the very top though? Ten Hag will have United on the front foot and at very lofty 40/1 price is worth some consideration.
Elsewhere, Raheem Sterling will be the big hope for Chelsea as another big name to depart the Etihad Stadium and looks set to lead the line at 28/1. Liverpool will have more than one name eyeing the scoring charts in the form of Benfica arrival Darwin Nunez at 11/1, however, given the Uruguayan maybe needing time to bed in, is Luis Diaz the alternative to Salah to ponder? Hitting the ground running in the second half of last term, a 33/1 gamble could yet be a savvy one.
Finally, returning to Man City, Julian Alvarez’s switch to Eastlands has rather gone a little unheralded given Haaland’s status but tipped as the new Kun Aguero, the Argentinian international grew a fearsome reputation at River Plate and having scored off the bench in the season curtain-raiser (after Haaland rather fluffed his lines) what price on Alvarez to overshadow his teammate? 33/1 to be exact.
