From Abraham to Vlahovic: the contenders to be crowned Serie A's top scorer

Never renowned for attacking flair and high-scoring encounters in the past, the Italian top flight has recently seen more goals than others in Europe's established top five leagues, and a number of prolific performers have lit up Calcio during that time.

From Mauro Icardi to Gonzalo Higuain, and from Edin Dzeko to Cristiano Ronaldo, the title of Capocannoniere - literally the 'head gunner' - has been bestowed on some of the game's most lethal sharpshooters.

The current holder of the prestigious Paolo Rossi Award, Ciro Immobile, has claimed the crown four times in the past - in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2022 - and remains among the contenders this year.

Will 'King Ciro' now retain that status for the first time, bringing him level with Milan legend Gunnar Nordahl on five wins, or is there set to be a new name that reigns supreme? Sports Mole assesses the runners and riders.

TAMMY ABRAHAM

Though some Roma fans were apprehensive when a striker who failed to hold down a place at Chelsea was unveiled as their star signing last summer, 12 months later, Tammy Abraham stands as another English success story to follow former clubmate Fikayo Tomori at Scudetto-winning Milan.

Despite Jose Mourinho's side being far from prolific in Serie A, Abraham racked up 17 league goals last season, with the first coming against Salernitana last August, at Stadio Arechi.

Including that strike in Salerno, only Ciro Immobile scored more times than the England striker in away matches during the 2021-22 campaign, and he thrived in Europe, too.

All told, Abraham's first season in the Eternal City brought 27 goals across 53 appearances, including nine in the inaugural Europa Conference League, in which Roma ultimately lifted the title.

Now to be partnered by newly-arrived Paulo Dybala, and with further support from Nicolo Zaniolo and Luca Pellegrini, the former Swansea City loanee is surely set to kick on and challenge for the Capocannoniere crown, after finishing 10 goals short of Immobile's tally last term.

Capocannoniere chances: 7/10

CIRO IMMOBILE

'The King' returns to the fray this season, having rattled in a total of 27 league goals in 2021-22, and will be seeking a record-equalling fifth top-scorer title next spring.

Lazio's inspirational captain has accrued a vast number of records at club level since he first burst onto the scene at Torino, though he was actually a Juventus primavera product.

A tally of 22 goals for Il Toro in 2013-14 has been followed by winning totals of 29 in 2017-18 and an incredible 36 in 2019-20 while resident in Rome, and the Italy international seems to have lost none of his hunger.

He tends to get off to a fast start too, as during the last 10 Serie A seasons, only Luis Muriel has scored more goals in his first match of the season than Immobile's eight in nine games.

There's every chance, then, he could be setting the pace after the opening weekend, and a rare combination of impeccable movement, ability to exploit space and laser-like finishing ability with either foot makes him favourite to lead the goal charts once again.

Capocannoniere chances: 9/10

ROMELU LUKAKU

After a turbulent 12 months at Stamford Bridge, Romelu Lukaku returns to Serie A this season, where he is still feted as one of Calcio's top strikers.

The Belgian forward aims to rebuild his reputation back at Inter, arriving on loan from Chelsea having departed San Siro with a championship medal only last summer.

Worth almost £100m when he strode through the exit only 12 months ago, Lukaku will now be eager to reignite an old flame, having scored 24 times in his second season in Milan - one better than his tally from the 2020-21 campaign.

Aiding his cause will be old partner Lautaro Martinez, who remains in Milan for now and is perhaps one of the former Everton striker's main rivals for the Paolo Rossi Award this year.

The pair enjoyed a complimentary partnership in their previous spell together up front for the Nerazzurri, and Belgium's all-time top scorer is also fuelled by a sense of injustice this time around. Allied to his abundant power and vision, that should make Lukaku a name to strike fear into defences once again.

Capocannoniere chances: 8/10

DUSAN VLAHOVIC

After showing signs of promise a year earlier, last season Dusan Vlahovic dominated the first half of the Serie A season with a string of powerful displays as Fiorentina's star centre-forward.

Inevitably, given the Viola's current status as a side still rebuilding, the Serbian striker was soon to depart, and having denied the overtures of Arsenal among others, he joined Juventus in January for a fee in the region of £70m - an astronomical sum in straightened times on the Italian peninsula.

Though his first few months in a Bianconeri shirt could be best described as hit-and-miss, the 22-year-old recently earned a Ballon d'Or nomination for his exploits throughout the past year.

After finishing runner-up to Immobile in May, as the pair's pursuit of the Capocannoniere crown reached a crescendo coming down the final stretch, Vlahovic has a clear area in which he can target improvement over the coming months.

Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the former Partizan Belgrade striker has been Serie A's top scorer in home games - hammering home 27 goals in 37 appearances during that time - so if he can now rack up more on the road, he may be able to haul in his older rival.

Capocannoniere chances: 8/10

THE OUTSIDERS

Most observers would expect the ultimate winner to come from one of the talented quartet above, given their proven records in the Italian top flight, but there remain a handful of potential contenders, too, from outside the established order.

Napoli's Victor Osimhen could only post 14 league goals last season, which pales in comparison to his rivals, but was plagued by a series of injuries that restricted his involvement as the Azzurri fell away from the title race.

A versatile poacher, with the ability to make goals for himself out of nothing - and also to use his tall frame to dominate in the air - the Nigeria striker (who has 15 goals in 22 international appearances) is still only 23 and has plenty of room to improve.

Though contracts are yet to be signed, Giovanni Simeone is set to join Osimhen in Campania this year, and is another wildcard in the race to be crowned Serie A's top scorer.

Having grabbed headlines for his four-goal flurry against Lazio last term, the Argentinian frontman managed to score 17 times for mid-table Hellas Verona while on loan from Cagliari - the same total as Tammy Abraham.

While champions Milan tend to share the scoring burden around, and veteran forwards Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are unlikely to start week after week - particularly the latter, who is now 40 and will not return from a knee injury until next year - Rafael Leao has proven himself a tremendous talent. However, he is a long-shot to outscore more consistent opposition.

In the blue-and-black half of Milan, meanwhile, the aforementioned Lautaro Martinez netted 21 times last season, but could be overshadowed somewhat by Romelu Lukaku's return this time around.

Gianluca Scamacca has left Sassuolo for the Premier League, but loyal captain Domenico Berardi remains. The latter's assist-making abilities, though, mean he is not selfish enough to take top spot, and another Neroverdi striker, Andrea Pinamonti - just signed from Inter - is perhaps one for the future. Nonetheless, the 23-year-old did manage 13 goals on loan at Empoli in 2021-22.

Colombian pair Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata were previously prolific at Atalanta, but both have seen their form tail off in recent months, while Torino's Andrea Belotti is already behind the eight-ball as he still waits to confirm his move to Roma.

So, though it remains a relatively open race, surely it would be foolish to bet against one of the top four to be named Capocannoniere for 2022-23 when the campaign concludes in June.