Le Tissier backs Rangers star for Golden Boot win over Daizen Maeda, Lawrence Shankland
Daizen Maeda and Laurence Shankland are the early favourites to win the Golden Boot this season but a Rangers striker may shock by winning the award.
That is according to former England and Southampton striker Matt Le Tissier, who told Football Insider exclusively that there were three names who will be in competition for the award this season.
Maeda scored 33 goals and assisted 11 as Celtic romped to a fourth consecutive Premiership title last season, although only 16 of those strikes came in the league.
Shankland, meanwhile, has struggled to replicate the success of his first two seasons with Hearts, when he scored 59 goals in 94 games.
Maeda has been linked with a move to the Premier League, and the Japan international’s exit from Celtic would likely give Cyriel Dessers a massive boost in his attempts to win back-to-back Golden Boot awards.
Cyriel Dessers Golden Boot winner over Lawrence Shankland, Daizen Maeda
This article contains exclusive comment from former Southampton and England striker Matt Le Tissier.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider previously, Le Tissier tipped Dessers to win the Player of the Year award, ahead of Shankland and Maeda.
And following on from that, the Premier League legend also believes the Nigeria international will also claim the Golden Boot as he did last season, despite being yet to get off the mark.
Shankland has netted once while Maeda has also yet to score in the league.
Le Tissier said: “I think it will come out of one of those three that we’ve already mentioned [Cyriel Dessers, Lawrence Shankland, Daizen Maeda].
“I think I’ll probably go for Dessers, who might be up there.
“I think he’s third or fourth favourite, so I’ll have a little punt on Dessers.
Celtic and Rangers race for West Ham ace Andy Irving
In a move that could boost Dessers’ chances of claiming the Golden Boot, Rangers are hoping to sign Andy Irving from West Ham.
The creative Scotland international is keen to play more often, opening the door for a return up North.
The former Hearts man has played just 12 times for West Ham since joining from Austrian side Klagenfurt in 2023.
However, Celtic are looking to sign Irving, and the two old rivals look set to duke it out to sign the 25-year-old.
Dessers was absent from Rangers’ chastening 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge on Tuesday with injury, and they missed him as they were thrashed in the first half, although Danilo pulled one back after the break.