Italian League: Blind Map of "Capocannoniere" Competition

Kevin De Bruyne combined with a pure striker equals a rain of goals. This formula has been a well-known secret throughout the brilliant career of the creative midfielder. It is reasonable to assume that De Bruyne's transfer to Napoli is expected to bring a breath of fresh air for veteran striker Romelu Lukaku.

When Napoli won the Scudetto last season, Lukaku was the club's top scorer (14). He scored nearly a quarter of Napoli's goals with minimal support. No one could spoil him. He also provided the most assists (10).

Imagine, next season, Lukaku will be assisted by De Bruyne, the second-highest assist provider in Premier League history. They've also played together frequently on the Belgian national team. The Capocannoniere, the top scorer in the Italian League, is also expected to go to Lukaku.

However, fate had other plans. Lukaku suffered a serious thigh injury in a preseason match against Olympiakos, just about a week before the new season. The 32-year-old forward will be sidelined for at least three months. Napoli's coach Antonio Conte immediately intended to seek a new striker in the transfer market.

Without Lukaku, the question mark over who will win the next apocannoniere is growing. Last season's winner, Mateo Retegui, also left Atalanta for Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah this summer. Meanwhile, no other candidates have emerged as particularly prominent.

Interestingly, the competition among the most prolific players is set to become even more intense. New names are likely to emerge from outside the radar. One player worth considering is the new forward for AS Roma, Evan Ferguson. The 20-year-old was brought in on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion.

Ferguson is touted to be the future star of Brighton. However, he has not received much playing time due to fierce competition in the first team. A move to Italy could become a turning point in his career. Ferguson arrives with great motivation to prove himself.

Recently, Serie A has often become the best solution for players who are not shining in the English Premier League. The latest evidence is Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay. He was selected as the best player in Serie A last season, just a year after being discarded by Manchester United.

Ferguson stated that the experienced coach Gian Piero Gasperini is the main reason behind the decision to choose Roma. "Gasperini could be the right figure. I can learn a lot from him. He has an excellent track record with strikers," he said through Roma's YouTube channel.

Gasperini will embark on his first season with Roma after nine years at Atalanta. The attacking philosophy coach is the figure who successfully brought out Retegui's best potential last season. Retegui's productivity in the league drastically increased after moving from Genoa (7 goals) to Atalanta (25 goals).

Juventus' new striker Jonathan David should also be anticipated. The player, who arrived on a free transfer from Lille, is one of the sharpest strikers in Ligue 1. He has scored 87 goals over the last five seasons in the French top division.

The Canadian national team's striker is known for his consistency. Davis has always scored at least 15 goals in the league in every season since 2021-2022. In the last three seasons, he has also consistently ranked among the top five in the race for the Ligue 1 Golden Shoe. Moreover, he is still only 25 years old.

Juve coach Igor Tudor admires David's talent. However, after the final preseason match against Atalanta, Tudor assessed that David needs more time to adapt. "He struggles against tough opposing defenders. I told him, this is the reality of Italian football," said Tudor.

Inter striker Lautaro Martinez and Fiorentina striker Moise Keane are automatic candidates for the Capocannoniere award following Retegui's departure. Martinez won the Golden Boot in 2023-24, while Keane finished second last season.

The problem is, both Martinez and Keane will have to adapt to new playing systems again following the change of coaches. Inter will be managed by Cristian Chivu following the departure of Simone Inzaghi. Fiorentina will be led by Stefano Pioli, the coach who led AC Milan to the Scudetto.

The performance of both strikers could drastically improve or decline, depending on the performance of their respective teams under the new coaches in the upcoming season. In the last league season, Keane managed to score 19 goals. Martinez only produced 12 goals, which is half of his achievement in the 2023-2024 season.

Napoli, after Lukaku's injury, indeed does not have a reliable striker. However, that does not mean they will not compete for the Golden Shoe. As Conte said, De Bruyne can instill a positive effect on other players. "He will surprise everyone," he said.

McTominay, who scored 12 goals in the league last season, has the potential to become even more prolific in the new season. The absence of Lukaku could make his role more crucial in the opponent's penalty area. Meanwhile, the prospective new striker for Napoli is eagerly anticipated. They intend to bring Rasmus Hojlund from MU.

The last five seasons have seen a different Capocannoniere winner. Cristiano Ronaldo, Ciro Immobile, Victor Osimhen, Martinez, and finally Retegui. With so many changes and innovations, it's highly likely the next winner will be different again. (AP/REUTERS)