Championship Transfer Window Rankings: Every Club’s Summer Business Rated 24-1

Championship Transfer Window Rankings: Every Club’s Summer Business Rated 24-1

In total £269m was spent between all the Championship clubs, with £375m finding its way into the second tier of English football through transfer sales. The most notable departures this summer were Tyler Dibling’s move from Southampton to Everton (worth £40m with add-ons) and Omari Hutchinson’s sale to Nottingham Forest (worth £37.5m).

Now that the summer transfer window is done and dusted it’s time to take a look which Championship teams had a successful window, and which clubs will be nervous heading into the rest of the season.

24 - Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday have unsurprisingly had a torrid start to the new season amid the background noise around the club’s ownership. The Owls have only picked up one point from their first four fixtures, leaving the club in 23rd position.

With the three-window transfer ban still in place, the club have been unable to sign any new players, bar Ethan Horvath. This is because the injury to goalkeeper Pierce Charles left Sheffield Wednesday without a senior goalkeeper. Therefore the club were allowed to sign Horvath on loan from Cardiff City for this campaign.

A whole host of players have departed the club on free transfers, mostly because the club haven’t paid the players their wages in three of out of the last four months. Josh Windass and Michael Smith are two key players to have left the club, with youth players being relied on to fill the forever growing void of players.

23 - Leicester City

After finishing the 2024/25 Premier League campaign in 18th place, Leicester City have started their Championship season on a bright note, winning three of their four opening matches.

The Foxes have only signed four players during the summer, with Asmir Begovic, Aaron Ramsey, Jordan James and Julian Carranza being the only signings. Before deadline day the club had only signed Begovic, the former Everton man brought in to play second fiddle to Jakub Stolarczyk.

The Foxes have seen 11 players depart the club this transfer window, with the key names of Jamie Vardy, James Justin, Kasey McAteer, Mads Hermansen, Wilfred Ndidi and Conor Coady all leaving the club.

Leicester have seen half of those players move to clubs in the Premier League, with the trio of Justin, McAteer and Hermansen bringing in £42m. However the club have failed to replace these key players, and only time will tell if that proves to be a mistake or not.

Bumps for the new boys 👊 pic.twitter.com/laQkaEz002

— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 3, 2025

22 - Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers haven’t enjoyed a good start to the new Championship campaign, as they currently sit 19th in the table after losing three of their first four fixtures. Their only win came on the road against fellow strugglers Hull City, with the Rovers winning that encounter 3-0.

The club’s troubles have only been compounded by the lack of recruitment in the transfer market, as Blackburn’s last permanent signing came in early August. Sidnei Taveres is the Riversiders best acquisition this summer, acquiring the midfielder from Moreirense for £2m.

Key outgoings from the club in the form of Callum Brittain and Joe-Rankin Costello haven’t been replaced, leaving the Rovers weaker after the window than before it. All the signs point to the Lancashire side facing an uphill battle for the rest of the season.

21 - Coventry City

Coventry City finished the last Championship campaign in fifth place, and that’s where they currently sit this season. The Sky Blues are undefeated so far with eight points from their opening four matches.

With only three signings made in the transfer market this summer, it has been an impressive start for the club that were knocked out of the Championship play-off semi-finals last season. A loan move for Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, alongside two permanent deals, have been the only acquisitions of the window.

However the club haven’t faced many departures this year, as their key players have remained at the club. The Sky Blues have only made £2.5m through the sake of Luis Binks to Brondby, which is their only major sale of the window.

20 - Swansea City

Swansea City are another team that have started the season brightly, losing only one of their opening four matches. The club sit in seventh place in the league and will hope their recruitment over the summer will be enough to challenge for promotion.

The Swans most notable signing this summer is Zeidane Inoussa from Hacken for £5m. The highly rated winger got an assist in Swansea’s last outing, in which they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0. The midfield has also been targeted as a place to strengthen, with Ethan Galbraith and Marko Stamenic being recruited this summer.

The Swans have seen 15 players leave the club in the transfer window, with Joe Allen’s retirement leaving a void in the middle of the park. Harry Darling is another starter to have left the side, joining fellow Championship club Norwich City on a free transfer.

Swansea City has reached an agreement to complete the signing of Zeidane Inoussa from BK Häcken for an undisclosed fee, subject to international clearance 🦢

👉 https://t.co/XkMDvEf83p pic.twitter.com/iuM38aIgGj

— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) May 5, 2025

19 - Norwich City

After a disappointing end to the season last time out, Norwich City will be hoping they can get closer to the play-offs this campaign. With two wins and two defeats from their opening four matches, one thing has remained consistent, and that’s Josh Sargent can score goals.

Already on five league goals for the season, the Canaries will be glad their star man didn’t leave the club this summer, however Borja Sainz and Jonathan Rowe have departed the club. Sainz has joined Porto for £14.3m with Rowe joining French side Marseille for £14m.

Norwich have made over £35m this transfer window, and it’s yet to be seen whether they have found suitable replacements for their key attackers leaving the club. Jeffrey Schlupp, Harry Darling and Jacob Wright are all new additions to the squad, with Mathias Kvistgaarden being the Canaries most expensive signing for £6.9m from Brondby.

18 - Ipswich Town

After gaining back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League, Ipswich Town were living the dream. However after relegation from England’s top flight last season, the club will be looking to return to the promised land once again.

However with three draws from their first four matches, with the other game being a defeat, the Tractor Boys haven’t started life well. The club have spent a decent amount of money this summer, with £12m for Kasey McAteer and £10m for Azor Matusiwa. Despite this you feel as if these players aren’t enough to fill the void left by key figures from last season.

Omari Hutchinson left Ipswich to join Nottingham Forest for £37.5m, whilst Liam Delap has joined Chelsea for £30m. These were two instrumental players for Kieran McKenna’s side in the Premier League last campaign and therefore won’t be easy to replace.

Other key figures within that Ipswich dressing room in Sam Morsy, Massimo Luongo and Cameron Burgess have all departed the club. That has left a void in the departments of leadership and experience, two qualities that the Suffolk side need to make a swift return to the Premier League.

17 - Bristol City

The number of the devil, 666. Could this sign foreshadow the fortunes of Bristol City for this season? The number six has been a recurring number for the Robins over the last season. A sixth-place finish in the league saw the club secure a play-off spot.

However their Premier League dreams quickly came to an end when they lost 6-0 on aggregate to Sheffield United. Bristol City now sit in sixth place in the table this season, completing the ‘666’ sequence.

Bristol City have only added five players to their squad this summer transfer window, which definitely puts them in a weaker position compared to their competitors. However they have recruited Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek on loan, with Adam Randell and Yu Hirakawa also joining the Robins.

On the outgoings front Bristol have only made a confirmed £1.5m through the sale of Taylor Gardner-Hickman to Birmingham City. Marcus McGuane’s transfer fee to Huddersfield Town is undisclosed, with other departures leaving the club on a free.

Bristol City are unbeaten in their last 10 home league games after their win over Hull at the weekend.

In fact, no team has picked up more home wins in the Championship than the Robins.

Ashton Gate a fortress 💪 pic.twitter.com/7wrJ2V0Jp0

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) September 3, 2025

16 - Oxford United

After avoiding the drop last season, Oxford United would’ve hoped for a better start to the 2025/26 campaign, as they have lost three out of their first four league matches. Their only point came at home against Coventry City in a 2-2 draw last weekend.

The U’s have made seven summer signings, with two of the deals being permanent with the remaining five being loan moves. Brian De Keersmaecker and Brodie Spencer are the two permanent transfers, with the midfield duo brought in to create a solid foundation in the middle of the pitch. Notable loan signings include former Spurs player Ben Davies and current Tottenham striker Will Lankshear.

Over 10 players have departed the club this summer, with Ruben Rodrigues joining EC Vitoria for an undisclosed fee. The U’s have seen most of their outgoings coming in the form of loan moves as the club created room for valuable incoming players.

15 - Preston North End

Preston North End were another team that just about managed to avoid relegation last season, and will certainly be looking to improve on their showing last time out. With one defeat from their opening four matches the Lilywhites have certainly shown promising signs so far.

In terms of transfer news, Preston have added a whole host of players to their cavalry, with most of these new recruits coming in the form of loans or free transfers. The most notable names include Alfie Devine, Daniel Jebbison, Daniel Iversen, Lewis Dobbin and Michael Smith.

A heavy bias towards younger players has both its benefits and problems, but manager Paul Heckingbottom will hope his side reaps the rewards of backing the youth.

Preston have departed with 11 players this summer transfer window, with most deals coming in the form of free transfers. Striker Emil Riis has joined Bristol City on a free transfer, a big loss for the Lilywhites as he netted 12 goals for the club last season.

14 - Queens Park Rangers

Queens Park Rangers have only picked up one win from their opening four matches, which came against newly promoted side Charlton Athletic. The Hoops will hope that new signings will be able to launch them into the region of the play-off positions.

The R’s have made nine new acquisitions to their squad this season, with Karamoko Dembele retuning to Loftus Road after a loan spell with the club last campaign. Richard Kone and Koki Saito have already hit the ground running as new QPR players, with the duo already getting themselves on the scoresheet this season.

Kone scored 18 goals last campaign for Wycombe Wanderers in League One, and a few early goals will help the striker find his feet in the Championship.

In terms of departures, the R’s sold Charlie Kelman to Charlton Athletic for £3.5m, their only deal to bring in any money. Loans and free transfers covered all other outgoings, creating room for improvements to the squad.

Dembele x Kone x Chair x Poku.

QPR are the definition of Vibes FC🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/VsfCWGL5f5

— UpTheRs (@UpTheRs) August 11, 2025

13 - Watford

Watford currently sit in the same place they finished the 2024/25 Championship campaign, the club in a mid-table 14th position.

Their summer recruitment reflects that the club aren’t happy with their result last season, as they have signed 12 new players this summer transfer window. Former Bayern Munich striker Nestory Irankunda and on loan Udinese forward Luca Kjerrumgaard and have already netted two goals each for Watford, showing why the club signed them.

The Hornets have brought in some money by selling Joao Ferreira (£2.6m), Mileta Rajovic (£2.6m) and Francisco Sierralta (£1.5m). The trio have enabled the club to purchase more attacking options, giving Watford more guile upfront.

12 - Portsmouth

Portsmouth have enjoyed a good start to life in the Championship this season, sitting in eighth place after losing only one of their first four encounters. Pompey will look to build on a solid 16th place finish last time out with some new recruits.

Seven new signings have come through the door, with the midfield triplet of Mark Kosznovszky, John Swift and Luke Le Roux all coming in to reinforce the foundations already set in the middle of the park.

However Adrian Segecic has already endeared himself to Pompey fans as he has two goals and an assist to his name already this season. The Australian midfielder joined from Sydney FC for an undisclosed fee.

Portsmouth have seen 11 players depart the club this summer, with former Newcastle player Matt Ritchie being one of the many players to leave on a free transfer. Christian Saydee and Cohen Bramall have also left the club this transfer window.

11 - Sheffield United

After play-off final heartbreak against Sunderland last season, Sheffield United will be hoping that they can secure promotion to the Premier League this campaign. However their start to the new season has been an absolute nightmare, as they sit rock bottom of the table having lost all four of their opening games.

Sheffield United have been busy in the transfer market this summer, as they have signed over 10 players to help their promotion push. Danny Ings, Ben Godfrey and Japhet Tanganga are some of the more notable names on that list, with a mixture of permanent and loans deals making up the format of these deals.

In relation to outgoings, the Blades have lost two key men in Vinicius Souza and Anel Ahmedhodzic for £13m and £15.6m respectively. Other departures include Rhian Brewster and Kieffer Moore, with replacements for the quartet yet to be seen if they have the quality to fill the void left behind.

Sheffield United suffered a FIFTH successive defeat in league and cup this lunchtime, losing 1-0 at Middlesbrough. 😬

It has been nothing but a nightmare start for Rubén Sellés. 🫣

Can he survive much longer? 🤔#TwitterBlades pic.twitter.com/Dm46Km9nr7

— The Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24) August 30, 2025

10 - Birmingham City

Birmingham City have made a decent start to life in the Championship, after gaining promotion from League One last season. The Blues have only lost one of their opening four league matches, with defeat coming against former Premier League champions Leicester City.

Their business in the transfer window this summer has also been decent, as the club have once again thrown money into the transfer window. Their most high-profile signings include former Leicester player Demarai Gray and Werder Bremen striker Marvin Ducksch.

The Blues’ most notable departures are Romelle Donovan and Alfie May, whose sales have brought in £4.2m for the club. Overall Birmingham City have come out on the right side of the transfer window, strengthening their squad in a bid to gain back-to-back promotions.

9 - Millwall

With two victories and two defeats from their first four fixtures, Millwall currently sit in the middle of the pack in 12th place. After narrowly missing out on the play-off places last year, the club will hope that new signings will propel them into the play-off spots.

Notable signings made by the Lions include Josh Coburn, Massimo Luongo and Alfie Doughty, who all add experience and quality to the team. With the latter two names on that list holding Premier League experience in their portfolios, Millwall will hope that extra bit of nous will carry them into the play-off paying positions.

On the other end of the spectrum, the club have sold star striker Zian Flemming to Burnley for £7m and Japhet Tanganga to Sheffield United. These are only a couple names that have departed the club this summer, with most outgoings leaving the Lions on a free transfer.

8 - Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough have enjoyed an excellent start to the new Championship campaign as they sit at the top of the league table. It’s four wins from matches for manager Rob Edwards who, on Middlesbrough’s 150th season as a club, will be looking to return the team to the Premier League.

In terms of incomings in the transfer market, Boro have made some smart acquisitions, including teenage wonderkid Sverre Nypan, who has joined on loan from Manchester City. Callum Brittain and Alfie Jones are some of the names who have made the permanent switch to Middlesbrough, with Matt Targett also joining on loan.

The club have brought in over £25m through player sales, with Finn Azaz moving to Southampton for £12m and Rav van den Berg transferring to Cologne for £11m, with the pair making up the best part of that sum.

Middlesbrough have confirmed the signing of Sverre Nypan.

👉 Has 62 league games under his belt at just 18-years-old

👉 Has 22 goal contributions, averaging a goal contribution every 2.8 games

Some player 👏pic.twitter.com/SeUqxlrouW

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) August 19, 2025

7 - Stoke City

Stoke City are enjoying a bright start to life in the Championship this season, as they currently sit in 3rd place after three wins out of their first four games. It’s certainly an improvement from their 18th place finish last campaign.

The Potters have been busy in the transfer window, with some high-profile names joining their ranks. From club legend Steven Nzonzi returning to the club, to Manchester City youngster Divin Mubama signing with the team on loan, there’s lots to be excited about for Stoke City fans.

Stoke have been busy with departures as well, with 13 players leaving the club in various formats. Wouter Burger left to join German side Hoffenheim, bringing £4.3m into the club. However the large number of outgoings has enabled the Potters to bring in experienced heads alongside youthful talent, which the club will hope can sustain their great start to the season.

6 - Charlton Athletic

After four points from their first two games, Charlton Athletic have lost their last two matches, leaving the club in 16th place. After returning to the Championship by winning the League One play-off final, the Addicks been busy in the transfer market as they look to avoid the drop this season.

Charlton have picked up nine players this summer, with a whole host of Premier League and Championship experience buried within their new recruits. The former Luton Town trio of Thomas Kaminski, Amari’i Bell and Reece Burke have joined the club’s ranks. Charlie Kelman and Harvey Knibbs are also notable signings made by the Addicks.

There have been a dozen departures during the window for Charlton, with most of these outgoings being in the form of loans and contracts expiring. Therefore the club haven’t seen much money come through the door, but it has created room for their new signings.

5 - Southampton

Following relegation from the Premier League last season, Southampton will be looking to bounce straight back to the top flight of English football. However after only picking up one win from their opening four matches this campaign, the club still have some work to do in order to make a swift return to England’s highest division.

Southampton have made seven new acquisitions to their squad, with six of the signings being on a permanent basis. Finn Azaz has joined for £12m from Middlesbrough, with Caspar Jander signing for £10.4m from Nurnberg. However the south coast club have lost some key players this window, with these new players having big shoes to fill.

Notoriously known as being a selling club, the Saints have recouped over £100m this summer, the most of any Championship club. Tyler Dibling (£42m), Mateus Fernandes (£38.1m) and Kamaldeen Sulemana (£18m) have made up the majority of those funds, with the club only reinvesting £40m for replacements.

🚨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Everton sign Tyler Dibling (19) from Southampton! 🔵⭐️

£42m deal, reports @SkySports. 💰 pic.twitter.com/VSzyhoEhHZ

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 25, 2025

4 - Derby County

Derby County’s Championship survival went right down to the wire, as their bid to stay in the second tier of English football went to the final game week of the season. However the start of the 2025/26 campaign hasn’t improved from last season’s form, sitting in 21st place after only collecting two points from their opening four games.

The Rams have been busy in the transfer window this summer, bringing in a dozen players. Their most expensive recruits include £6m Patrick Agyemang from Charlotte FC and £2.5m Max Johnston from Sturm Graz.

Carlton Morris, Rhian Brewster, Lewis Travis and Ben Brereton Diaz are other key names that Derby have added to their squad for this season. It’s been a good summer transfer window for Derby, who have gathered a wealth of experience to add to their squad.

The Rams have seen 14 players depart the club this summer, with the majority of players leaving on a free. Key players Nat Phillips, Harrison Armstrong and Marcus Harness have all left the team after the expiry of their loans.

3 - West Bromwich Albion

West Brom are one of four teams that are unbeaten so far in the Championship, with the club sitting second in the league. The Baggies finished four points out of the play-offs last season and will have their sights set on a top six finish this campaign.

Some impressive summer recruits have been brought through the door this transfer window, with former Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, Manchester United loanee midfielder Toby Collyer, and Cheslea man Alfie Gilchrist all joining the West Midlands side. It’s definitely been a transfer window focused on bringing quality to the Hawthorns, with all seven signings capable of adding quality and depth to the Baggies.

There has been a significant number of outgoings this summer, 17 to be exact, as West Brom looked to recruit funds for incomings. Tom Fellows brought in the most amount of cash, with his £8m transfer to Southampton being the highest sale of the window for West Brom.

🚨 Official, confirmed. Toby Collyer leaves Man United to join West Bromwich on loan deal.

No buy option included in the deal as big future part of #MUFC project. pic.twitter.com/kng5uE9yQW

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 15, 2025

2 - Hull City

Hull City only escaped relegation last season due to the fact they had a better goal difference than Luton Town. The club will therefore be hoping they are nowhere near a relegation scrap come the end of the season, with the Tigers currently in 17th position.

Hull have undergone a massive rebuild, with 12 players being signed in the transfer market this summer. Some of the most notable names include Gustavo Puerta, Brandon Williams, Joe Gelhardt, Oli McBurnie and John Lundstram.

These five players have a great blend of youth, experience and versatility which will certainly improve the Hull City side from last season. The 18 players that have left the club have facilitated this swarm of signings, giving the Tigers a new look for this campaign.

A mixture of undisclosed fees, loans and free transfers have allowed the East Yorkshire side to depart with a whole host of players. It seems like a step in the right direction for the club that will have their sights set on bigger things this year.

1 - Wrexham

After being the first ever team to achieve back-to-back-to-back promotions, Wrexham will be looking to create even more history by trying to gain promotion to the Premier League. However with only one win from their first four matches, it certainly isn’t going to be an easy task.

Expecting nothing less from owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Red Dragons have thrown their weight around in the transfer market, buying players with quality as well as Premier League and Championship experience.

Nathan Broadhead, Conor Coady, Ryan Hardie, Danny Ward, Callum Doyle, Kieffer Moore and Josh Windass are all names that Wrexham have accrued over the summer. It’s arguably the perfect blend of youth and experience, giving the Welsh outfit Championship quality players straight from the off.

Departures have also been necessary to create room for these new recruits, with 17 players leaving the club through permanent moves, loans and free transfers. It’s this constant recycling of players that allows Wrexham to grow year on year, with this season looking set to be no different.