With summer transfer silly season almost upon us, here are ten current Championship stars who we think are Premier League-bound ahead of next season.
Yaser Asprilla (Watford)
Starting with a less obvious shout, Asprilla went under the radar compared to some attackers in the Championship this season, but he stuck out like a sore thumb in what’s become a very unremarkable Watford side.
Signed for around £2.5m in 2022, the 20-year-old Colombia international has swiftly proven his worth to Watford, who already stand to make a significant profit on their prized asset if the Pozzo family opt to cash in this summer.
The Hornets would presumably prefer to keep Asprilla, but as they are far away from the promotion picture, this sale may be necessary to give novice boss Tom Cleverley a better chance of overseeing a successful rebuild at Vicarage Road.
Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland)
Jobe looks likely to fall short of the obscene levels his elder brother Jude Bellingham has already reached, but it’s somewhat harsh to make a comparison as the Real Madrid sensation has broken the scale regarding how young English players are judged.
The Sunderland teenager (18) is two years Jude’s junior and is at least ensuring his career trajectory is also set for a sharp rise after scoring seven goals in his 45 Championship appearances for the Black Cats in 2023/24.
Bellingham’s form for Sunderland has placed him on the radar of the Premier League’s most exciting team (Crystal Palace), which bodes well for his potential given their eye for the next big thing from the Football League.
Jack Clarke (Sunderland)
Dark clouds hang over the Stadium of Light as they are still without a permanent manager following Michael Beale’s ill-fated stint in the dugout. To add to their misery, this summer will surely be the moment that Clarke moves elsewhere.
The winger has come a long way since his failed spell at Tottenham Hotspur and has done more than enough to earn himself a second chance in the Premier League, grabbing 40 goals in his 87 Championship appearances for Sunderland.
Still only 23 (somehow), Clarke would be a no-brainer signing for most teams in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Archie Gray (Leeds United)
The first of two Leeds United‘s play-off final flops to feature on this list, 18-year-old Gray is arguably their most valuable asset heading into the summer.
In an ideal world, Gray would stick around at Elland Road for a few more years to follow in the footsteps of several family members in building a reputation as a Leeds United legend. But the club’s dire financial situation and impending fire sale (more on that later) means they may be forced to offload the teenager for a sizeable fee before next season.
It goes to show how talented the versatile midfielder is that Bayern Munich are sniffing around, but several Big Six clubs are also understood to be fans of Gray. This includes Man Utd, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. will surely be left disappointed in their pursuit of the Leeds man, who would presumably be disowned if he made the move to Old Trafford.
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Jacob Greaves (Hull City)
Pushy owner Acun Ilicali thinks a lot of Hull City’s immediate (and future) prospects, which was proven by his harsh decision to sack Liam Rosenior after they narrowly missed out on the Championship play-offs on the final day.
Ilicali has promotion on his mind, but Hull’s chances next season could be hampered by potential exits, with Greaves and Jaden Philogene in contention for Premier League moves.
Greaves has a strong case to suggest he’s the best centre-back in the Championship and even with Ilicali’s massive wealth, he will do well to retain the talented 23-year-old this summer.
Anthony Patterson (Sunderland)
As a leading member of the Viktor Johansson fan club, I suggest otherwise. But some argue Patterson is the standout goalkeeper in the Championship and in fairness, he has been superb for his boyhood club over the past two seasons in the second tier.
The 24-year-old’s stellar performances have him in line to follow in the footsteps of Jordan Pickford, with a move to the Premier League in the offing. He could even benefit from Big Six clubs being in the market for a new backup keeper, with Arsenal and Liverpool touted as potential destinations.
Josh Sargent (Norwich City)
The 24-year-old USA international failed to deliver the last time Norwich City were in the Premier League, but he has progressed significantly over the past two seasons and is deserving of another crack in the Premier League.
An ankle injury thwarted Sargent’s chances of winning the Championship Golden Boot, but 16 goals in 26 league games is a stunning tally and Premier League clubs should come sniffing for him in the summer.
📣TO THE COMMENTS! Which Championship players are deserving of a Premier League transfer this summer? Join the debate here
Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United)
The Championship’s best player in 23/24 didn’t deliver before being subbed off in the play-off final, but he is certain to leave Leeds as part of their fire sale this summer.
While many of his former teammates could not jump ship quickly enough following their relegation last season, Summerville made the bold decision to stick around, but his career prospects look far more promising following his stellar year in the second tier.
Liverpool and new head coach Arne Slot are known to be admirers of the Dutchman, but they face competition from Big Six rivals Chelsea, who – for some reason – are still in the market for a winger.
Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers)
Sargent and Adam Armstrong made their mark impressively in front of goal this season, but they were no match for Blackburn Rovers sensation Sammie Szmodics, who netted a remarkable 27 goals in 44 Championship matches.
The 28-year-old achieved this feat despite Blackburn spending much of the season battling relegation and his purple patch of a campaign came after he scored just five goals in 2022/23.
Coming off the year of his life, Szmodics – like Chuba Akpom did last summer – needs to make hay while the sun is shining and Blackburn’s financial difficulties make his pricey exit a necessity ahead of next season.
Morgan Whittaker (Plymouth Argyle)
The 23-year-old did fade during the run-in, but his debut campaign for Plymouth justified their £1m gamble as they would have been relegated had it not been for his 29 goal contributions.
Whittaker was perhaps negatively impacted by major transfer speculation after Serie A side Lazio plotted a shock January raid, but he is still likely to get a big move in the summer. And this would be an unwelcome early blow for Wayne Rooney as he attempts to rebuild his managerial reputation with the Pilgrims.
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