Headline: Haaland Looks to Secure Fourth Premier League Golden Boot Amidst Rising Competition
As the new football season kicks off, Erling Haaland is poised to chase his record-equalling fourth Premier League Golden Boot. With Mohamed Salah, a four-time winner, departing from Liverpool, the path to the top scorer title seems more accessible for the Manchester City striker. This report examines the top contenders vying for the accolade and highlights the typical requirements for winning the prestigious award.
Erling Haaland (Man City)
The Manchester City forward has secured the Premier League’s Golden Boot in three of his four seasons in England. Haaland achieved a remarkable 36 goals during the 2022-23 season and followed up with 27 goals in each of the subsequent campaigns. With an overall tally of 112 goals from 132 top-flight matches, he presents a formidable challenge to his competitors, even as he adjusts to a new managerial regime under Enzo Maresca.
Having concluded a robust World Cup campaign with Norway, where he netted seven goals, Haaland enters this season with high expectations.
While Haaland remains a primary candidate, another striker who might challenge him is the British record signing. Despite enduring a difficult season filled with injuries, he finished second in the Golden Boot race last year, scoring 23 goals and outpacing Haaland, with Salah ultimately claiming the title. However, in his first season with Liverpool, the £125 million acquisition managed just four goals in 22 competitive appearances. If he can maintain fitness and receive adequate service from new Reds manager Andoni Iraola, he could showcase the talent that warranted such a substantial transfer fee.
Thiago, currently with Brentford, aims to prove his first season was not merely a one-time achievement, having scored 22 goals in the Premier League in his inaugural full campaign following an injury-plagued previous season. This performance earned him a spot on Brazil’s World Cup squad. Meanwhile, Manchester United has reportedly shown interest in him.
Joao Pedro, having netted 15 goals for Chelsea last season after his switch from Brighton, also seeks to enhance his scoring tally this year. However, he faces increased competition for the striker role within the squad, including from former Brighton teammate Danny Welbeck. His performance under new manager Xabi Alonso will influence his contributions, especially as the German coach’s squad showed a balanced approach to scoring in the last Bundesliga season.
Arsenal’s new addition, who recorded a modest but important 14 league goals during his debut year, played a crucial role in helping the club end a 22-year title drought. As the season progresses, if he can replicate his second-half form from the last campaign, he could emerge as a credible contender for the Golden Boot.
Aston Villa’s Watkins stands as the third-highest goal-scorer in the Premier League since joining the league back in September 2020. Despite a respectable score of 16 goals last season, he would likely need to match his last Championship season tally of 25 goals to be a serious Golden Boot threat.
Lastly, Sesko’s first Premier League season saw him score 11 goals, with nine of those coming after a managerial shift at Manchester United. At just 23 years old, he hopes to carry that form into an entire season under Michael Carrick’s guidance.
Who usually wins the Golden Boot?
Over 34 seasons of the Premier League, the Golden Boot has been awarded 42 times, with several joint winners recognized. Notably, only 12 winners have ultimately claimed the Premier League title in the same season, offering a glimmer of hope for players whose teams may not compete for the championship.
Haaland has contributed to raising the goal totals required to win the Golden Boot in recent years. For instance, between the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons, no player exceeded 23 goals. However, the last four winners have consistently scored between 27 and 36 goals.
While most Golden Boot recipients have been strikers, there has been a rising trend of players from other positions claiming the title. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first winger to win it in the 2007-08 season, and Salah’s record of four wins ties him with Thierry Henry. Sadio Mane and Son Heung-min have also enjoyed Golden Boot success in the last eight years.
Erling Haaland will be hoping for a record-equalling fourth Premier League Golden Boot this season.
With four-time winner Mohamed Salah no longer at Liverpool, the route might appear even more open for him – so who stands in Haaland’s way?
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BBC Sport looks at the contenders to be the league’s top scorer – and what is usually needed to win it.
Erling Haaland (Man City)
The Manchester City striker has won the Premier League’s Golden Boot in three of his four seasons in English football.
The Norwegian scored a record 36 goals in 2022-23 and won it the next campaign – and again last season – with 27 each time.
With 112 goals in 132 English top-flight games, he will take some stopping again – even if he is now under a new manager in Enzo Maresca.
The 26-year-old comes into this campaign after a seven-goal World Cup for Norway – a total which would have won the Golden Boot in more than half of the previous tournaments.
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It is almost easy to forget about the British record signing in this discussion, after the Swede spent so much of last season injured.
The 26-year-old finished second in the Golden Boot race in 2024-25 with 23 goals, outscoring Haaland and only finishing behind Salah.
But he only managed four goals in 22 games in all competitions for Liverpool last season after his £125m move from Newcastle.
If he can stay fit and new Reds manager Andoni Iraola can provide him with the service he was denied last season, he will hope to show why Liverpool paid £125m for him.
Thiago will hope to avoid being a one-season wonder for Brentford – assuming he stays with the Bees.
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The 25-year-old scored 22 Premier League goals in his first proper season playing in England – having missed most of the season before through injury.
He finished second only to Haaland in the Golden Boot race.
That form led to him playing for Brazil at the World Cup, having never been capped before this year.
Manchester United are among the clubs reportedly interested in him.
Joao Pedro will be hoping to build on his 15 Premier League goals last campaign for Chelsea following his move from Brighton.
However he now has more rivals for the striker role than last season – including ex-Albion team-mate Danny Welbeck.
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How he fits in under new manager Xabi Alonso will also be a factor.
Alonso’s German double-winning Bayer Leverkusen team of 2023-24 shared out the goals – with nobody netting more than 14 in the Bundesliga.
The Sweden striker had a steady but unspectacular debut season at Arsenal, with 14 league goals – and 21 in all competitions.
However the 28-year-old played his part in Arsenal winning their first title in 22 years.
And 14 of those 21 goals came after the turn of the year, suggesting he had adapted to the new league.
If he can match that form across the 2026-27 season – and if Arsenal can take the shackles off with the tension gone after ending their title drought – he may be a contender.
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Watkins is the third top-scorer in the Premier League since stepping up to the top flight by joining Aston Villa in September 2020 – behind only Haaland and Salah.
His 91 league goals in that time mean he averages just over 15 a season – with 16 in the league last term.
However the 30-year-old would probably have to at least match his final goalscoring season for Brentford in the Championship – 25 league goals – to be a contender for the Golden Boot.
Sesko scored 11 goals in his maiden Premier League season following a move from RB Leipzig last summer.
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But nine of those came after Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim on 5 January and ditched his preferred back three and wing-backs formation.
In fact in that time only one player – Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White – scored more Premier League goals.
With Sesko still only 23, he will hope he can maintain that form over a whole season under Michael Carrick and be a Golden Boot contender.
Who usually wins the Golden Boot?
There have been 34 Premier League seasons – and 42 Golden Boots handed out because of joint top-scorers.
Surprisingly, only 12 of those have won the Premier League in those seasons – so that gives hope to those players whose teams are unlikely to challenge for the title this season.
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Haaland has played a part in driving the amount of goals needed to win the Golden Boot up in recent years.
The four seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22 did not see anybody score more than 23 goals.
But the past four Golden Boots have all entailed between 27 and 36 goals.
Most winners have been strikers – or at least centre-forwards – but as you would expect in recent years it has become more frequent for other positions to win it.
Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007-08 was the first winger – back when he largely played in that position – to win the Golden Boot, with Salah winning it a joint-record four times (level with Thierry Henry).
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Wide forwards Sadio Mane and Son Heung-min have also claimed a share of the Golden Boot in the past eight years.
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