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The Championship has seen some iconic forwards down the years and some players who instantly remind you of the second tier. From Teemu Pukki to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, there have been plenty of natural goalscorers over the last 20 seasons, with many going on to win the Golden Boot.

But who have been the previous winners of the end-of-season award? Here is a list of every Championship Golden Boot winner since 2004/05, with a detailed look at the last 10 recipients of the prize.

Season

Player

Club(s)

Goals

2004/05

Nathan Ellington

Wigan Athletic

24

2005/06

Marlon King

Watford

22

2006/07

Jamie Cureton

Colchester United

23

2007/08

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake

Wolves

23

2008/09

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake

Wolves

25

2009/10

Peter Whittingham

Cardiff City

20

2010/11

Danny Graham

Watford

24

2011/12

Rickie Lambert

Southampton

27

2012/13

Glenn Murray

Crystal Palace

30

2013/14

Ross McCormack

Leeds United

28

2014/15

Daryl Murphy

Ipswich Town

27

2015/16

Andre Gray

Brentford/Burnley

25

2016/17

Chris Wood

Leeds United

27

2017/18

Matej Vydra

Derby County

21

2018/19

Teemu Pukki

Norwich City

29

2019/20

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Fulham

26

2020/21

Ivan Toney

Brentford

31

2021/22

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Fulham

43

2022/23

Chuba Akpom

Middlesbrough

28

2023/24

Sammie Szmodics

Blackburn Rovers

27

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1 ByCharlie Smith Feb 14, 2025 10 Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town) 2014/15 (27 goals)

During the 2014/15 season, Bournemouth and Watford secured automatic promotion, scoring more than 90 goals en route to the Premier League.

However, the top scorer that season was Daryl Murphy of Ipswich Town, who scored six more than Troy Deeney and Blackburn’s Jordan Rhodes. The Tractor Boys finished in the play-off places but lost out to rivals Norwich City.

9 Andre Gray (Brentford, Burnley) 2015/16 (25 goals)

In his prime, Andre Gray had electric pace and was clinical in front of goal, and scored two of his 25 goals in 2015/16 for Brentford.

He left the Bees for Burnley towards the end of the transfer window for a club-record fee and instantly repaid the faith shown in him by those at Turf Moor.

The Clarets won the title and finished on 93 points, with Gray scoring 25 times in total, four more than Abel Hernandez and Ross McCormack.

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ByRoss Kilvington Feb 3, 2025 8 Chris Wood (Leeds United) 2016/17 (27 goals)

New Zealand international Chris Wood found a home at Leeds United and starred during the 2016/17 campaign, but the Whites finished just outside the play-off places.

He scored 27 of Leeds’ 61 goals under Garry Monk that season, four more than Dwight Gayle of Newcastle and Glenn Murray of Brighton, with those two sides winning automatic promotion.

7 Matej Vydra (Derby County) 2017/18 (21 goals)

Matej Vydra scored the lowest number of goals to pick up the Golden Boot award over the last 10 years, with 21 goals in 40 Championship appearances for Derby County in 2017/18.

The Czech forward mainly played as a second striker under Gary Rowett, with the Rams losing out in the play-offs to Fulham.

6 Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) 2018/19 (29 goals)

Daniel Farke built one of the best Championship teams ever seen in 2018/19, with Teemu Pukki firing Norwich City to the Premier League.

The Finnish forward was clinical in front of goal and scored 29 goals in the 2018/19 season. Pukki also netted 10 times for his country in 2019 in a real purple patch of his career.

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ByCharlie Smith May 23, 2024 5 Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) 2019/20 (26 goals)

In truth, Aleksandar Mitrovic was always going to be too good for the Championship, and after netting 11 times in the Premier League the year before, it wasn’t a surprise that he was the Golden Boot winner in 2019/20.

Fulham didn’t win automatic promotion, but they did go straight back up via the play-offs, with Mitrovic setting up Joe Bryan in the Wembley final against Brentford.

4 Ivan Toney (Brentford) 2020/21 (31 goals)

It is rare to see a player break the 30-goal mark in the Championship, but that is what Ivan Toney managed to do for Brentford in 2020/21.

The Bees, under Thomas Frank, won promotion via the play-offs, and Toney’s 31 goals and 10 assists ensured a third-place finish. Toney wasn’t done there, though, and found the back of the net against Bournemouth in the play-off semi-final and against Swansea City at Wembley.

3 Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) 2021/22 (43 goals)

A record-breaking campaign in 2021/22 saw Mitrovic make the list once again, with the Serbian netting an incredible 43 times in 44 appearances, while also registering seven assists that year.

The powerful striker netted two hat-tricks and nine braces as Fulham won the title, scoring 106 goals in the process. Mitrovic finished a whopping 14 goals clear of Dominic Solanke at Bournemouth.

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ByCharlie Smith May 17, 2025 2 Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough) 2022/23 (28 goals)

Middlesbrough were the second-highest scorers in the Championship in 2022/23 but failed to go up, with top goalscorer Chuba Akpom leaving the Riverside for Ajax.

Akpom scored seven more than Viktor Gyokeres of Coventry City and won the Player of the Year award as well as the Golden Boot, in what has proven to be the prime of his career.

1 Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers) 2023/24 (27 goals)

An attacking midfielder who played for a Blackburn Rovers side battling relegation in 2023/24, Sammie Szmodics somehow managed to score 27 goals for Rovers.

Without him, those at Ewood Park would have surely been relegated to League One. Szmodics sealed Blackburn’s survival with a brace at champions Leicester City on the final day, seeing his second-tier tally hit 27. He left months later for Ipswich Town.

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ByStephan Georgiou Feb 15, 2024

Things aren't going well for Newcastle United in terms of results this season, but they have also suffered a big injury "setback", according to an update from journalist Craig Hope.

What's going wrong at Newcastle?

The Magpies were flying when they won 5-1 at home to Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign, looking like they had gone up another gear after last season's brilliance.

Instead, things have unravelled a little alarmingly for Eddie Howe's side, with three league defeats in a row coming their way, albeit a trio of difficult fixtures on paper.

A 1-0 defeat away to Manchester City was certainly nothing to be ashamed of, even if they didn't offer a huge amount at the Etihad, but last weekend's 2-1 loss at home to 10-man Liverpool was a poor performance, and a tough one to take. Newcastle were then beaten 3-1 at Brighton on Saturday evening, meaning it's just three points from a possible 12 to start the campaign.

Things appear to have gone a bit flat at St James' Park heading into the international break and it is vital that Howe and his players regroup upon their return, starting with a positive result when Brentford make the trip north on September 16th.

Not only are Newcastle struggling to kick on in 2023/24 when it comes to results, but a negative injury update has also emerged regarding one player who has already been absent of late, with things seemingly going from bad to worse.

Who is injured for Newcastle?

Taking to X, Hope confirmed that midfielder Joe Willock has suffered a "setback" in his recovery from a hamstring injury, with the midfielder now out for a further six weeks due to an Achilles issue.

"Joe Willock has suffered a setback in recovery from hamstring problem with a new Achilles injury & will be missing for another six weeks."

This is a massive blow for Newcastle, with Willock not necessarily someone who will consistently make headlines with match-winning brilliance, but a key cog in the machine who proved to be a very important player last season, helping his side qualify for the Champions League.

The 24-year-old featured in 35 of his side's Premier League matches in 2022/23, starting 31 of them, and not only did he register six assists and score three times, but he also mucked in defensively, averaging 1.5 tackles per game in the competition. He has been lauded as a "pivotal" figure for the Magpies by Howe, who also said that he is a "very, very good" player.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

Willock's energy and versatility are such a key aspect of this Newcastle squad, allowing him to play either centrally or out wide, so he appears to be a big loss at the moment and will continue to be into the autumn.

In fairness to the Magpies, though, there shouldn't be too big an overreaction to this start to the season, considering the calibre of opponents they have faced. The performance against Villa was sensational, and while the last couple of displays have been lacking a spark, there is no reason why Howe's men can't recover and go on a good run when the upcoming break is over, but they'll have to do that without Willock.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na próxima quarta-feira, Fortaleza e Ceará começam a decidir a final do estadual e a Federação Cearense de Futebol definiu quem será o homem do apito no primeiro encontro. Trata-se do árbitro Marcelo de Lima Henrique.

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Nesta fase da competição o VAR entra em ação. Para o jogo de ida, Pathrice Wallace Corrêa Maia fica responsável por analisar os lances polêmicos pela televisão.

Vale lembrar que os dois jogos serão disputados na Arena Castelão. Além do confronto desta semana, os dois times voltam a se encontrar no dia 21 de outubro.

No encontro entre eles na fase anterior, o Leão foi mais feliz e venceu o principal adversário por 2 a 0.

Time de árbitros

Árbitro: Marcelo de Lima Henrique
Auxiliares: Adriano Barros Carneiro e Flávio Gomes Barroca
VAR: Pathrice Wallace Corrêa Maia

MatériaMais Notícias

São Bento e Taubaté entram em campo hoje, terça-feira (15), pelas quartas de final da Série A2 do Campeonato Paulista, às 21h30, no estádio Walter Ribeiro, em Sorocaba. No primeiro encontro entre os dois times, um empate sem gols foi o resultado. Portanto, uma nova igualdade no placar leva a decisão para os pênaltis.

O Burro da Central, como é conhecida a equipe de Taubaté, aposta em um “jogo inteligente” para decidir o duelo fora de casa e avançar na A2.

– Temos um time muito ajustado, que sabe jogar com e sem a bola. Seguindo nosso modelo, tenho certeza que vamos seguir – declarou o zagueiro Dogão.

Do outro lado, a equipe do São Bento confia na manutenção dos seus titulares e no poder de recuperação que o time mostrou após sair da vice-lanterna para ser um dos favoritos ao acesso.

A primeira partida da série aconteceu no “Joaquinzão”, em Taubaté, no dia 8 desse mês, e ficou marcada por polêmicas de arbitragem. No primeiro lance questionado, o zagueiro Douglas Assis, do São Bento, tocou a bola com a mão dentro da área e o árbitro mandou o jogo seguir. Já em um segundo momento, no final do primeiro tempo, o goleiro William, do Taubaté, tirou a bola de dentro do gol após ela rebater e ultrapassar a linha, mas o árbitro também não marcou nada.

O segundo jogo do confronto define o último dos quatro clubes classificados para as semifinais do torneio. São Bernardo, São Caetano e XV de Piracicaba são os outros três já classificados para a penúltima fase da competição. Os dois finalistas conquistam o acesso à divisão de elite de São Paulo.

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Outros jogos

O XV de Piracicaba derrotou a portuguesa pelo placar mínimo na tarde da última segunda-feira (14), no estádio do Canindé. Com o gol contra do experiente Anselmo, a Lusa perdeu a chance de voltar para a elite do futebol paulista no ano de seu centenário, cinco anos após ser rebaixada na competição estadual pela última vez. O time do Canindé já havia perdido o primeiro confronto por 3 a 2, de virada, em Piracicaba.

Os outros dois semifinalistas garantiram suas classificações no final de semana, ambas decididas nas penalidades: na manhã de domingo (13), a equipe do São Bernardo recebeu o Juventus no estádio Primeiro de Maio e, após empate sem gols no tempo normal, venceu o time paulistano nas penalidades máximas, por 6 a 5.

Dois dias antes, na sexta-feira (11), o São Caetano foi derrotado em casa pelo time do Monte Azul, por 1 a 0. Como o Azulão aplicou o mesmo resultado para sair vitorioso jogando no estádio do adversário, a partida também foi decidida nos pênaltis. O time da casa venceu a disputa por 5 a 4, no Anacleto Campanella.

HOJE É DIA DE SÃO BENTO!

⚽ São Bento x Taubaté
🏆 Paulistão A2
🏟️ Walter Ribeiro
⏰ 21h30
📺 SporTV pic.twitter.com/qCp1cPdqbf

— EC São Bento (@ECSaoBento1913) September 15, 2020

Liverpool are considering a shock move for Manchester City and England midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, as a new report has revealed a change in plans from FSG.

What's going on with Kalvin Phillips?

The 27-year-old traded Leeds United for City last summer, seeing it as the right time to make an important next step in his career after establishing himself as a key man for his country.

Phillips' first season at the Etihad proved to be an extremely disappointing one on a personal level, however, even though he ended up being part of a treble-winning squad. Only two Premier League starts came in his way in the entire campaign, along with a total of just 291 minutes of action in the competition.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It could be that the Englishman again finds himself on the periphery of things under Pep Guardiola in 2023/24, with so many strong midfield options at his disposal, from Rodri to Bernardo Silva.

The Reds are of course looking to make some new additions to their own midfield having missed out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, and they are now seriously considering Phillips.

What's the latest transfer news with Liverpool?

According to The Daily Mail, Liverpool see Phillips as a genuine transfer target this summer, a sharp twist from having initially ruled both he and Sofyan Amrabat out of the running:

"Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, who is a target of Manchester United, and Kalvin Phillips of Manchester City were two names who had been ruled out prior to recent events. But they too are believed to be under consideration in the club's current predicament."

Phillips is undoubtedly a good footballer – one who proved himself hugely at Euro 2020 alongside Declan Rice, with the pair being hailed as "superb" by legendary former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi – but it is hard to see a move for him coming to fruition at Liverpool this summer.

Firstly, it would be a shock if City were to sell the former Leeds man to a direct rival, even if he isn't considered a starter at the moment, while his injury troubles over the past 12 months or so would make him a gamble of a signing.

Liverpool simply cannot afford that right now, and have to acquire the services of sure-fire bets who have many years ahead of them, so the negatives ultimately outweigh the positives.

If Phillips did suddenly join the Reds, it certainly wouldn't be a disaster, given the quality he possesses and his ability to cover ground – he averaged three tackles per game in the EFL Cup last season – but there are more sensible options out there, whether it be Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure, Fulham enforcer Joao Palhinha or others.

Either way, it is absolutely essential that this major midfield issue is sorted at Liverpool sooner rather than later, with this summer threatening to fall apart if they don't act quickly. They have no defensive midfielders at the club currently, with that problem highlighted in the end-to-end 1-1 draw with Chelsea last Sunday.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na parte debaixo da tabela, o Flamengo volta a campo neste domingo para retomar o caminho das vitórias. Será o primeiro jogo em que Domènec Torrent terá trabalhado ao longo de uma “semana limpa”, sem jogos no meio. E, por falar em partida, a última do Fla marcou a estreia de Thiago Maia sob o comando do catalão, que, segundo o LANCE! apurou, o elogiou e vem o orientando em particular com frequência no Ninho do Urubu.

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Se não foi opção nas quatro primeiras rodadas do Campeonato Brasileiro, Thiago Maia foi acionado para mudar o panorama do clássico contra o Botafogo, no último domingo. O camisa 33 entrou na vaga de Diego e, diferentemente da função que vinha exercendo com Jorge Jesus, desempenhou um papel de meia pelo lado esquerdo.

A entrada de Thiago Maia, com toques rápidos e verticais, como prioriza Domènec Torrent, deu uma nova cara à equipe. A dinâmica do meio-campista potencializou as tramas com Filipe Luís e Bruno Henrique, tanto que a jogada do gol anulado de Gabigol surgiu após participação direta de Maia.

Ainda é cedo para afirmar se Dome utilizará Thiago Maia como um volante mais recuado, com a eventual realização da “saída de três”, cujo papel na equipe titular pertence a Willian Arão, o seu principal concorrente e orientador quando foi contratado (entenda aqui), desde 2019, ouse brigará para atuar mais próximo aos atacantes, como ocorreu diante do Botafogo.

Aliás, contra o Alvinegro, em 21 minutos em campo, acertou27 dos 30 passes tentados (96% de aproveitamento), sendo um decisivo – de acordo com o site especializado “Sofascore”. A intensidade de sua colaboração faz a disputa pelo setor, que ainda teve os concorrentes Gerson e Arrascaeta sem sair do banco, ser ainda mais acirrada.

Fica para Domènec Torrent a missão de fazer valer as ótimas opções que se apresentam, agora com o pedido tempo para treinar.Nas redes sociais, destaca-se o coro ecoado por mais oportunidades a Thiago Maia, quenão atuava desde o dia 5 de julho e que justificou o apelo ao pedir passagem.

Ou seja, leque de nomes acentuado, assim como a dor de cabeça “positiva” de Domènec Torrent, que aprontará o Flamengo visando o jogo deste domingo contra o Santos, na Vila Belmiro. Em tempo: o próximo duelo do Rubro-Negro será válido pela sexta rodada do Brasileirão (confira a tabela aqui).

Manchester United could be set for a nervy weekend when it comes to tying up a deal for Rasmus Hojlund, with transfer insider Dean Jones via GiveMeSport stating that there should be more clarity over a transfer by next week.

What is the latest on Rasmus Hojlund joining Manchester United?

The Red Devils have been pushing hard to try and sign the 20-year-old this summer, with their interest in signing the striker never waning even as they added other players to their ranks. When the Premier League outfit were trying to wrap up a deal for Andre Onana for example, it was revealed that they already had their eye on making an approach to land the Atalanta man once their other transfer had been completed.

Having already made contact with the Serie A side over the youngster and spoken over a deal, it has become apparent that the Italian outfit are prepared to let go of the attacker. However, the condition is that they have slapped a hefty price-tag on the striker's head and that United will need to match it in a cash-only deal in order to get a transfer completed. They did try offering Fred in a player-exchange-plus-cash offer but Atalanta want just a fee for their Danish wonderkid. It seems though that things are stepping up in spite of the fact that the Serie A side want over £60m for Hojlund.

What has been said about Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund?

Now, in a fresh update, Dean Jones has spoken to GiveMeSport and revealed that this weekend could prove to be key when it comes to sending the player to Old Trafford. He states that United will not hang around and wait to sign a forward and could end up moving on if there is no compromise but also that if they can reach an agreement, then a deal could be very close to happening heading into the beginning of next week. He said: "The news I am hearing right now is that this weekend should be a key time in this pursuit. I think we could get to the start of next week, and United are on the verge of clinching this deal at a level of spending that suits them because they won’t cave over the outrageous Atalanta price tag. However, If it all collapses over the weekend, it’s back to the drawing board, and they will seriously consider a Plan B. They can’t wait on this forever."

People who have watched Hojlund in action are seemingly running out of superlatives to describe him already, despite the fact he is only 20-years-old. His current Atalanta coach Piero Gasperini called the striker "extraordinary" after a performance in 2022/23 and it shows the level that the forward is capable of already despite his youth. He may be young, but he is already able to compete in the first-team squad, in Serie A, with a lot more experienced players than himself. It shows that he is already performing to a high standard and the potential is there for him to get even better. It is no wonder then, that United are so keen to get a deal done. If they do, then it will instantly boost their forward line and could give them a striker who threatens to keep getting better as he plays.

As well as finding a Declan Rice replacement, the other pressing concern for the West Ham hierarchy will be to sign a new striker.

Last season, the attacking trio of Michail Antonio, Gianluca Scamacca, and Danny Ings only netted ten Premier League goals between them. David Moyes will be on the hunt for a more consistent and dynamic focal point to spearhead the club’s domestic and European challenges.

One man tipped to do this is Armando Broja.

What’s the latest on Armando Broja to West Ham?

According to ExWHUEmployee, the Hammers welcome an opportunity in bringing Broja to the London Stadium on loan.

Last summer, West Ham tried to sign the striker on a permanent deal for around £30m. The youngster had told Chelsea he didn’t want a season on loan and stayed at the club.

Nevertheless, the East Londoners have reignited their interest in exciting young forward Broja.

Speaking exclusively to The West Ham Way podcast, Ex said: "We’ve also looked at youngsters from other clubs, mainly Chelsea. Obviously, they’ve got Armando Broja who we tried to sign last summer, if he was to be available for a loan and maybe one of our forwards was to move on then he would be another that we would look to sign."

Who can Armando Broja replace at West Ham?

Last season was hugely challenging and disappointing for Broja. After consecutive loans, the frontman was finally spending a full year with the Chelsea first team.

However, a chaotic term under new ownership coupled with a devastating knee injury that kept him out for over six months meant he only mustered three starts in all competitions.

Nevertheless, in the previous campaign, whilst on loan at Southampton, the attacker demonstrated he was an effervescent and troublesome top-flight striker, with nine goals in 38 appearances across all competitions.

This form generated large applause, with Alan Shearer saying that the £40k-per-week prodigy made an “immediate impact” whilst on loan at Southampton, adding: “Let me tell you, this lad is clinical. Broja is a young striker with an eye for goal and has a bright future in the Premier League.”

This sentiment was echoed by his former manager Frank Lampard, who said: “He is a very talented young boy. He’s fast, strong, has a real eye for goal, and he’s a very, very good young player.”

A player of this energetic, pacey, and physical profile could be the perfect heir for Antonio.

The Jamaica international has been a fantastic servant for the Irons – he has been there since 2015 and is the club’s record Premier League goalscorer, netting on 61 occasions.

But, the 33-year-old’s contract expires next summer, and he is reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Arabia.

Although Antonio’s commitment can never be questioned, it seems the logical time for the era of a new striker at the London Stadium.

He ranks within the lowest 26% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals per 90, total shots per 90, shot-creating actions per 90, progressive passes per 90, and touches in the attacking penalty per 90.

Meanwhile, Broja can replicate Antonio’s trademark hold-up play, whilst also providing a more compelling outlet with his lightning acceleration.

Sussex won only their second Royal London Cup game since August 2014 after defeating Glamorgan by 60 runs in a rain-affected contest at Hove

ECB Reporters Network02-May-2017
ScorecardStiaan van Zyl achored Sussex’s total on a slow pitch•Getty Images

Sussex won only their second Royal London Cup game since August 2014 after defeating Glamorgan by 60 runs in a rain-affected contest at Hove.South African Stiaan van Zyl top scored with 96 as the hosts made 292 for 6 before dismissing Glamorgan for 221 to seal victory by 60 runs under Duckworth-Lewis.On a slow pitch, Sussex’s score was boosted by David Wiese’s cameo of 35 from 20 balls at the end after van Zyl and Ben Brown (60) had laid the foundations with 115 in 17 overs for the fifth wicket.Skipper Jacques Rudolph, on the ground where he compiled his List A best 169 not out in 2014, made his third score of over 50 in this season’s competition and all the time he was at the crease Glamorgan had a chance.But apart from the stand of 72 in 15 overs for the fourth wicket the South African left-hander shared with Kiran Carlson, Glamorgan struggled to build partnerships and they were kept in check by some accurate bowling, particularly from Jofra Archer and left-arm spinner Danny Briggs, who finished with 3 for 53. West Indies international Jerome Taylor also picked up a wicket on his Sussex debut.Glamorgan were 138 for 6 when rain forced the players off and after a 50-minute delay they needed an improbable 143 in 11.5 overs under Duckworth-Lewis. Chris Cooke, one of seven South Africans playing in the match, smashed three sixes in his 62 from 46 balls but an asking rate of nearly 12 runs an over proved too much.While van Zyl played the major hand for Sussex, there were solid contributions all the way down the order as they enjoyed the best batting conditions after winning the toss.Chris Nash scored 41 and Harry Finch 39 but it was the stand between van Zyl and Brown which really took the game away from Glamorgan.The pair targeted the short pavilion-side boundary, particularly against Glamorgan’s seamers, with Brown hitting his runs off 53 balls with seven fours and an outrageous six over cover off Marchant de Lange.Van Zyl scored at an even tempo throughout and looked on course for his first hundred for the county after moving into the 90s by striking David Lloyd over long-on for his second six having earlier driven a length delivery from Mick Hogan back over his head.Van Zyl also hit nine fours from 88 balls faced but perished when he mis-timed an attempted pull after de Lange dropped short. De Lange had earlier bowled Brown and Laurie Evans with successive deliveries as they made room to hit through the off side. He finished with 3 for 51 and was the pick of the Glamorgan attack.Wiese clobbered three sixes at the end and Sussex’s total always looked 30 or 40 runs above par.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale was dealt a blow at the end of last season as centre-forward Alfredo Morelos left the club upon the expiry of his contract at Ibrox.

The Colombian was a prolific scorer for the side over the years and enjoyed an incredible spell in Scotland as he plundered 124 goals in 269 appearances in all competitions.

His exit left the Light Blues with a hole to fill at the top end of the pitch and they have done exactly that by signing Sam Lammers on a permanent deal from Atalanta, while 28-year-old striker Cyriel Dessers is on the verge of joining from Cremonese for £4.5m.

However, the Nigerian's pending arrival would mean that Beale would have five senior number nine options who are all aged between 26 and 30.

This suggests that the Gers could benefit from signing a younger striker with the potential to develop over time.

They could sign a forward in his early 20s in the hope that he is able to learn from the likes of Dessers and Lammers before working his way into becoming a first-team regular further down the line.

HNK Rijeka starlet Matija Frigan, who is valued at £5.2m, fits that particular bill having been linked with a move to the Scottish giants this summer and he could come in as the dream heir to Antonio Colak.

How did Matija Frigan perform last season?

The 20-year-old marksman made his senior breakthrough with Rijeka and caught the eye with his impressive performances through the middle of the pitch.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Croatia U21 international plundered 15 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for his club, including 14 in 27 league outings. This means that he averaged a goal more than once every two matches in the SuperSport HNL, while maintaining an average of a strike just over once every two games in total.

To put those numbers into context, his compatriot in Colak found the back of the net 18 times in 38 clashes for Rangers after his move from Greek giants PAOK last summer, with 13 of those coming in 24 Scottish Premiership matches.

The Croatian international scored once every 2.1 outings for the Light Blues as he proved himself to be a reliable scorer during his debut campaign in the country.

These statistics suggest that the 20-year-old target has the goalscoring instincts and consistency to replicate Colak's success in front of goal.

The former Malmo finisher turns 30 in September and Beale could bring Frigan to Ibrox with the intention of replacing him either this summer or in the years to come.

The Rijeka star does not turn 21 until next year and would arrive as a player with potential, rather than an experience option who would be expected to hit the ground running. Although, his goalscoring record last season indicates that the quality is there for him to be a good option for the manager in the short-term as well.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously hailed the striker as "complete" while he also rated his potential at 8/10, suggesting that the exciting youngster has shown enough in his home country to be a highly-rated young talent.

Frigan could, therefore, be an excellent long-term signing for Rangers and one that would provide Beale with a dream heir to Colak.