Championship Predictions: Potential Candidates for the Top Goalscorer Betting Market
The EFL Championship is one of the most popular soccer competitions in the world. The English second tier has significantly grown in stature over the last decade and was ranked as the second most attended league in the world during the 2023-24 season, according to UEFA.
With average crowds exceeding 20,000 and the gradual trickling down of the Premier League riches, this is a largely unsurprising development. Television coverage of the competition has increased in recent years alongside an expansion of betting markets, with most bookmakers now offering a far wider portfolio of wagering options for each matchday.
With the 2025-26 campaign set to get underway in August, Championship experts are beginning to prepare their soccer predictions for the forthcoming campaign, whereas many online betting sites are slowly releasing their ante-post prices, ramping up the excitement amongst English soccer fans.
Although most operators are yet to showcase their top goalscorer odds for this season, there are several players, including a few newcomers, who are worth considering as potential candidates to collect this year’s Golden Boot.
Tommy Conway
Middlesbrough will be working under new head coach Rob Edwards this season and that may bring the best out of striker Tommy Conway. The Scottish international notched 13 times last year and following the failed experiment of Kelechi Iheanacho, the former Bristol City man is likely to play the lead role in 2025-26. Edwards got Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo firing at this level, and his appointment may be just what the 22-year-old requires.
Mathias Kvistgaarden
With Borja Sainz having left East Anglia and Josh Sargent rumoured to be following him out of the door, Norwich’s strikeforce may have a very different look to it this season.
The Danish international was being strongly linked to Lens, before the Canaries swept in and poached the 23-year-old striker. He netted 23 goals in 38 appearances for Brondby and describes himself as energetic and aggressive. He will give 100% and once he starts to find his groove, he could easily hit 15+ goals for Liam Manning’s men.
Colby Bishop
Portsmouth’s Colby Bishop is likely to be a big price in the top goalscorer betting market, however, if he can stay fit, he should be able to get into double figures during the first half of the campaign. The 28-year-old scored 11 times last year, despite not featuring in a Championship match until November 9th, 2025. The majority of his goals came at Fratton Park and he is expected to produce yet another decent return in Hampshire.
Aune Heggebo
West Brom have plundered the Scandinavian market once again and following the success of midfielder Torbjorn Heggem, they have splashed out on striker Aune Heggebo, who joins from SK Brann. Also known as ‘The Hulk’, the 23-year-old has a bit of everything and was being coveted by Norwegian champions, Bodo/Glimt before the Baggies pounced.
Brann fans were extremely upset to see him leave. He has been at the club since the age of 14 and has several under-21 caps for the national side too. He is deceptively strong and can hold-up play, however, he is remarkably clever in the box and has a decent goalscoring record.
Kyogo Furuhashi
Many Championship fans were surprised to see former Celtic hitman Kyogo Furuhashi link up with second tier newcomers Birmingham City. He struggled at Rennes, however, his record in Scotland was formidable. He admits that he is ‘excited’ by the project and he should get plenty of service from his teammates.
Admittedly, the Japanese international doesn’t offer much else, and his game is centered around being in the right place at the right time, however, with a record of 23 goals in 31 games during the 2023-24 campaign, Blues fans will be happy if he can get close to replicating that level of form.
Ryan Hardie
There weren’t many standout performers during Plymouth’s relegation campaign, however, striker Ryan Hardie was a rare shining light. The 28-year-old fired 12 goals for the struggling Pilgrims, with 10 of those arriving during the second half of the campaign and that was enough to persuade Wrexham to take the plunge.
Hardie should get plenty of service, and although he faces plenty of competition for places, his younger legs should see him start more games than Jay Rodriguez, Ollie Palmer and Jack Marriott, with the latter expected to depart North Wales this summer.
