The Championship is a great honing ground for future Premier League players. Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City starlets could shine in the second tier this season…
Callum Doyle (Man City to Leicester City)
The young centre-back was among Coventry City’s star players last season while he was on loan with the play-off finalists.
Following this loan, Doyle was expected to end up in the Premier League but he’s instead opted for a second tilt at Championship promotion with title favourites Leicester City.
This still constitutes a step up for Doyle, who is capable of being one of the best defenders in the league if he carries over his great form.
Given the quality at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, Leicester would have massively underperformed if they don’t get promoted and Doyle has the talent to outshine Conor Coady and Wout Faes as they attempt to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Karlan Grant (West Brom to Cardiff City)
Going off how Grant has recently fared in the Premier League or Championship, he will either be among the league’s top scorers this season or be an utter flop.
He followed up his 19-goal 2019/20 campaign at Huddersfield Town with 22 goals in 96 league games for West Brom and 18 of these goals were scored during the 2021/22 season.
Overall, Grant’s time at West Brom – the Baggies bought him for £15m from Huddersfield in 2020 – has not panned out as well as anyone intended but a fresh start at Cardiff City could be just what he needs.
He was not always the first-choice striker at West Brom but he will be the main man at Cardiff and his goals could be pivotal as they look to avoid relegation.
Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea to Ipswich Town)
Newly-promoted Ipswich have caught the public’s imagination this summer as they are many people’s pick to be a dark horse for promotion under former Man Utd coach Kieran McKenna, who has swiftly blossomed into one of the best young managers in the Football League.
Ipswich were a breath of fresh air in League One last season and if they are to seal consecutive promotions, loanee Hutchinson is likely to be at the forefront of their success.
Snatched from rivals Arsenal last year, the 19-year-old Chelsea attacker made his Premier League debut against Man City and he is well-fancied to be a star of the future at Stamford Bridge.
His decision to join a club on the rise in Ipswich is an inspired one and he should get plenty of game time so onlookers can learn what all the fuss is about.
Dexter Lembikisa (Wolves to Rotherham United)
Rotherham are always going to be forced into relying on the loan market when they’re in the Championship given how limited their budget is compared to their league rivals.
So it is therefore vital that they exploit this market wisely and it appears they have done that with Lembikisa who – like Hutchinson – is already a full international for Jamaica.
Wolves are in a rough state heading into next season with player sales taking priority but Lembikisa is one positive for them as he looks set to break into their first team in the next year or two.
The flying wing-back will have an important role to play for Rotherham in Matt Taylor’s preferred 3-5-2 system. Speaking as a Millers fan, I hope he stays for the season and doesn’t jump ship for a separate loan higher up the division from January onwards. We’ve been burned by this trope far too often.
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Luke McNally (Burnley to Stoke City)
While Ipswich are making most of the headlines as a promotion dark horse, Stoke City are going under the radar but they are just as likely to gatecrash the play-off places.
After an underwhelming 2022/23 season that saw them finish in the bottom half (again), Championship specialist Alex Neil has settled in and masterminded some superb summer business, with McNally among his best additions.
McNally became familiar with Doyle during their time together at Coventry City last season and Mark Robins’ side will surely watch on with envy as their two former defenders impress at their rivals.
Burnley centre-back McNally is not yet ready to make an impact in the Premier League, but Stoke will benefit from his Championship experience as they attempt to rise up the table.
Calvin Ramsay (Liverpool to Preston)
Signed last summer to become Trent Alexander-Arnold’s back-up at Liverpool, Ramsay managed just two appearances for the Premier League giants during his debut campaign as his season was hampered by injury.
But the right-back previously made a great impact while in Scotland with Aberdeen and he will get some much-needed game time this season at Preston, who will probably find themselves battling to stay afloat in the bottom half.
Ramsay has a lot to prove this season and if he is to have a future at Liverpool, he will need to make the most of this loan spell in the Championship. I reckon he will do just that and give Jurgen Klopp something to think about ahead of his return next year.
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