10 best strikers in the EFL Championship right now (Ranked) | OneFootball

Football League World has ranked the 10 best strikers in the Championship right now...

The 2024/25 Championship campaign is poised to be an incredibly competitive one, following on from the incredible promotion-chasing spectacle which second-tier supporters were treated to in the previous season.

From Burnley and Sheffield United to Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Leeds United and many others too, the outfits competing at the top-end of the division will be gunning to release their firepower and launch potential returns to the dizzying heights of the Premier League.

In line with the game's progressive modernisation and tactical adaptation, the role of a striker is now increasingly multi-faceted. The implementation of a false-nine and the importance of leading the press out of possession, running the channels, and linking play in deeper areas has culminated in a significant shift towards the responsibilities which strikers now have.

Archetypal penalty-box poachers such as Billy Sharp, Ross McCormack and Jordan Rhodes count themselves among the finest goal-getters in Championship history, but more recent times portray a seismic and fundamental shift in the footballing profiles in which many strikers are now occupying.

The stylistic variation of frontmen makes for intriguing analysis, and the Championship possesses a clutch of them. That said, Football League World has decided to rank the 10 best strikers in the Championship right now...

*All data sourced from FBRef or FotMob*

10 Ike Ugbo

Following the introduction, it does appear something of a contradiction to initiate the list with Ike Ugbo, who remains one of few genuine, out-and-out poachers inside the 18-yard-box at this level.

Ugbo completed a permanent transfer to Sheffield Wednesday during the summer after helping the Owls execute the great escape and retain their Championship status while on loan in the 23/24 campaign.

Despite only joining in January following a frustrating first half of the season spent with Cardiff City, Ugbo swiftly hit the ground running under Danny Rohl and found the back of the net on eight occasions, bringing his total tally to a healthy 11.

Very few in the league eclipse the Canada international when it comes to occupying dangerous goalscoring positions; he ranked in the 93rd percentile among strikers for average shooting distance (11.30 yards) and was in the 94th percentile by measurement of non-penalty expected goals (xG) with 0.20 per 90 minutes.

His short spell at Cardiff should prompt viable question marks pertaining to his ability to exert a rounded influence when opportunities are not forthcoming, the service dries up, and he endures the natural, dreaded drought in-front of goal that almost every striker succumbs to at some stage.

However, if Wednesday can keep him scoring then their summer investment will only be vindicated further and the penalty-box prowess in his possession means an opening inclusion is justified for the time being.

9 Lyle Foster

Meanwhile, Lyle Foster represents a contrasting profile to the aforementioned Ugbo and, indeed, it is perhaps his more well-rounded skillset that sees him edge out his counterpart.

Foster, who was close to joining Ipswich Town in the dying embers of the summer transfer window, was one of a few Burnley players to depart the Premier League with his head held high.

The South Africa international's return of five goals and three assists, which equated to 0.38 direct goal contributions per 90 minutes, saw him register as Burnley's most productive performer in the final-third and Scott Parker will be pining for a similar influence in a bid to return his new side to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Foster is capable of handing opposition defenders serious problems with his ability to win both ground and aerial duels, providing Burnley with an out-ball and a set-piece threat should they look to reap the rewards from dead-ball situations. At 24, he is still awaiting double digits in a single league campaign, but the indications beneath face value are hugely promising.

8 Josh Maja

West Bromwich Albion have enjoyed a positive inauguration to the new season and an overwhelming positive is Josh Maja, who has hit the ground running in blistering form after missing almost the entirety of last term through two serious ankle injuries.

The former Sunderland, Stoke City and Fulham frontman made a definitive statement of intent by scoring a hat-trick in West Brom's 3-1 opening day victory at QPR, where all three of his goals were headed efforts.

The combination of Maja's aerial ability and the pinpoint crossing from the right byline by rising star Tom Fellows could well prove to be Carlos Corberan's perfect cocktail, and the duo will need to remain on-song if West Brom are to realise their ambitions of returning to the Premier League.

There is little evidence to reference from Maja's injury-plagued debut campaign at the Hawthorns, but a previous 17-goal haul for Bordeaux in Ligue 2 offers plenty of indication that he will provide a much-needed source of firepower should optimal fitness remain.

Mark Robins may find himself overloaded with a plethora of high-quality striking candidates at Coventry City, although his faith in Ellis Simms should be unwavering across the duration of the season.

Simms, who was brought in last summer alongside versatile attacker Haji Wright to offset the departure of Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting CP, endured a slow start to life at the CBS Arena before exploding into life upon the turn of the year.

Indeed, only Manchester City's five-star hitman Erling Haaland has usurped the Everton academy graduate's haul of 17 strikes and counting across 2024.

Strong in the air and willing to run the channels, Coventry are poised to plot a tangible 24/25 promotion bid despite a sketchy start to the season and Simms will be integral to any potential success.

6 Kieffer Moore

Sheffield United appear well-placed to contend in this season's promotion reckoning following a productive summer window, which included the arrival of seasoned second-tier frontman Kieffer Moore.

The archetype of a target man is very much waning in utilisation across the game these days, but Moore is a timely reminder that this style still has a place in the Championship. Towering, imposing and formidable in the air, Moore stands at a lofty 6'5 and has used his frame to wreak havoc over the years. Now, the Blades will hope he can replicate his previous track record at this level.

The Wales international has close to 50 Championship goals across spells with Barnsley, Wigan Athletic, Cardiff and Bournemouth, and he proved instrumental in Ipswich Town's promotion to the Premier League last term. Signed on loan from the Cherries in January, he found the back of the net on seven occasions at an average of 0.55, won 6.87 aerial duels and 1.66 fouls per 90.

Moore is technically sound enough to drop deeper and engage in build-up, although his aerial threat is where he truly excels and, just like with Maja and Fellows, he could reap all the rewards from Harrison Burrows' set-piece deliveries at Bramall Lane this term.

5 Mateo Joseph

Factors such as experience, consistency and history are instrumental towards the ranking of this list. Had it been devised purely on the basis of natural talent and promise, however, then Leeds United's Mateo Joseph would likely have come out on top.

Appearing at all alongside well-versed goal-getters in the Championship, given his own lack of experience, is testament to the quality in Joseph's arsenal, though. The Spain youth international may not have started a single league fixture for Daniel Farke's side last term, but he has been leading the line admirably this time around and looks set to light up the division.

Fundamentally, Joseph is blessed with all the natural gifts which require a striker to thrive. Determined and dogged out of possession, Joseph leads the Whites' press and is capable of physically mixing it with opposing defenders while he is a threat and getting in behind with his explosive movement and has innate goalscoring instincts.

His remarkable shot placement is indicative of a striker destined for the very top, and the early signs this season are that he can meet his vast potential.

4 Elijah Adebayo

Luton Town have started the current season in underwhelming form but, all things considered, they should pick up as the campaign goes on. The Hatters quite arguably have the finest striker stable in the Championship and Elijah Adebayo was one of two Luton forwards to hit double digits in the Premier League last year.

Adebayo scored ten goals despite starting just 16 matches, working out to 0.63 strikes per 90. He ranked in the 91st percentile for aerial duel success rate too, winning exactly half of his battles in the air. Once Luton begin to find their feet and ensure top-quality service to Adebayo, expect him to be well among the goals once again.

He was prolific during Luton's time in the league before promotion and has every chance of proving instrumental for Rob Edwards this term.

3 Carlton Morris

From one Hatters striker to another, Carlton Morris offers a more rounded skillset across the board and ranks as our third-best frontman in the Championship.

He scored 11 times in the top-flight and made four assists, creating 22 chances and giving Premier League defenders real problems with his physicality and direct running in transition. Morris accumulated 20 strikes to his name in Luton's promotion season while creating a fair few, and there are not too many better than him at this level.

2 Emmanuel Latte Lath

Goal returns relative to minutes played, providing those minutes are substantial enough, is invariably a valuable metric to measure productivity and efficiency among strikers, and Emmanuel Latte Lath's ratio for Middlesbrough in his debut campaign is pretty remarkable.

The 25-year-old scored 16 times from 30 appearances but started just 23 of those, meaning he averaged 0.69 goals per 90. Dynamic and explosive, Latte Lath is at his best running the channels, searing past defenders and getting in behind and has offered a fresh dimension to Michael Carrick's attack almost each time he has been on the pitch.

Latte Lath is extremely talented, and his profile is destined for even greater heights. This season should be a goal-laden one for the Boro frontman, then, although he just narrowly misses out on top spot.

1 Josh Sargent

It was a real conundrum between Latte Lath and Josh Sargent and splitting the two is an unenviable exercise, but the Norwich City talisman just about takes first-place.

Sargent missed time through injury last season, although his performances in front of goal were phenomenal nonetheless. His goals to minutes ratio even usurped that of Latte Lath, averaging 0.77 strikes - the best record in the division - and amassing a non-penalty xG of 0.55 per 90.

Quite often now, the finest frontmen are engaged and important in transition and Sargent also made 3.11 shot-creating actions per 90 last term. Norwich have lost plenty of goals and firepower over the summer following the departures of Jonathan Rowe, Gabriel Sara and Abu Kamara, so the responsibility on Sargent's shoulders will only grow.

He should seize that burden with both hands, though, and there is probably not one striker better than him in the Championship when fully fit and firing on all cylinders.