da roleta： There's a huge pool of talent outside the top flight who could secure a dream transfer to the big time
da stake casino： No country in the world boasts a stronger footballing pyramid than England. Sitting at the top of this structure is the Premier League, but below this all-powerful behemoth is the English Football League.
Within these three divisions – the Championship, League One and League Two – is a host of talent waiting to be discovered by clubs in the top tier. Recently, there's been a real glut of non-Premier League stars making it to the big time too.
Jude Bellingham used his move from Birmingham to Borussia Dortmund in 2021 as a platform to put himself in Ballon d'Or contention with Real Madrid, while Joao Pedro, Ollie Watkins and Alex Scott have all moved to Premier League sides for significant fees over the past few years too.
All the signs point to this trend continuing over the coming weeks. But which EFL clubs should be most concerned about their top talent being poached this summer? Below, GOAL takes a look at 15 Championship players who look likely to earn a move up the divisions…
Getty ImagesCrysencio Summerville (Leeds)
There's no better place to start than with the Championship Player of the Season. Summerville had his moments in the Premier League after breaking into the Leeds first team in 2022, but he's taken his game to another level over the past nine months.
The Dutch live wire is an archetypal, modern wide man. Usually starting out on the left, he's mastered cutting inside onto his favoured right foot and curling the ball into the far corner. That's not the only trick he has up his sleeve, though.
He's also been Leeds' primary, creative force. Only one Championship player registered more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes over the course of the season, with his pinpoint dead-ball delivery helping in this regard. He carries the ball like few others too and will have no shortage of clubs interested this summer, especially following Leeds' play-off final heartache at the hands of Southampton.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesArchie Gray (Leeds)
It was difficult to watch 18-year-old Gray bawling his eyes out following Leeds' sickening defeat at Wembley. The latest in his family, after father Andy and grandfather Frank, to represent the Whites, the youngster missed just two Championship games for Daniel Farke's side, who finished on 90 points.
Beginning the campaign in central midfield, he displaced club stalwart Luke Ayling at right-back in October and has since made the position his own. He's taken every challenge thrown at him in his stride, looking unflappable at the back and even scoring a vital goal in a dramatic victory against Leicester in February.
It's evident he's destined to reach the top. Leeds will be hoping that it's with them, though the big boys of English football will already be circling following confirmation that the Whites will be in the second tier once again next season.
Getty ImagesJack Harrison (Leeds)
Following Leeds' relegation last season, Harrison exercised a clause in his contract that allowed him to depart the club on loan, linking up with Everton. And he soon established himself as an important member of Sean Dyche's side, ending the campaign with 35 appearances to his name.
Although no option to buy was included in the deal, Dyche has already hinted that the Toffees are interested in making Harrison's stay permanent. "The first thing was making sure we were safe, then once we were safe we could re-evaluate the internal truth with the financial side of what we can do, so that will be an ongoing process," he said recently.
Everton could also try and tempt Wilfried Gnoto away from Elland Road this summer, having made an approach for the wide player last summer. A lot will depend on each clubs' finances, though.
Getty ImagesRav van den Berg (Middlesbrough)
The younger brother of Liverpool's Sepp van den Berg has begun to forge a fearsome reputation of his own at the Riverside Stadium. First breaking into the side as a right-back, he finished the campaign at the heart of Michael Carrick's defence despite being just 19.
Van de Berg reads the game excellently, is quick enough to mop up balls in behind and already possesses a physical presence that defies his tender years. He's a leader too, having been handed the captain's armband against Stoke City back in March.
Carrick is clearly a fan, saying after that game: "He's played an awful lot this year. He's got a real presence. I know he's young and I understand that but I thought he proved again today why I picked him as captain. I thought he played well in tough circumstances. That was the reason for that decision. He has a bright future."