A thrilling Championship season is reaching its climax as Leicester City, Leeds United and Ipswich Town are all gunning for the two automatic promotion spots.
The final week of the season is also set to see a battle for the final playoff spots, with West Brom, Norwich City and Hull City vying for the final two stop-six slots. A tense finish is also expected at the other end of the table, with two of Blackburn Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town set to join Rotherham in League One next season.
It’s been a predictably unpredictable season and along the way we’ve seen some superb individual performers. Here’s a look at five Championship players that Premier League clubs will no doubt be eyeing this summer.
Five Championship players who could move to Premier League clubs this summer: 1. Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United)
Yes, we’re being somewhat obvious here, saying that the freshly crowned Championship Player of the Year should be playing in the Premier League, but the young Dutchman’s exploits at this level deserve all the plaudits he’s been getting.
Aged just 22, the former Feyenoord youngster has netted 19 times and conjured up nine assists in 41 Championship games, often unlocking low-block defences that turn up to frustrate Daniel Farke’s side.
Summerville showed flashes of potential last season when Leeds were relegated from the Premier League, but has shown more focus and application this season and has subsequently been rewarded with a complete season so far.
Should Leeds fail to win promotion, they can expect plenty of calls for the winger from the top flight.
2. Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers)
Hands up who thought 28-year-old Sammie Szmodics, with 11 Championship goals to his name before this season, would be the division’s most lethal striker and top the goalscoring charts this season? Liars.
With 31 goals for a Blackburn side that flirted with self-implosion earlier this year, Szmodics’ unlikely purple patch is bound to turn Premier League heads.
Given more freedom to roam forward following Ben Bereton Diaz’s exit last summer, the former Colchester United and Peterborough United man has taken full advantage and if Rovers avoid getting dragged into the bottom three in the next 10 days, they have him to thank.
Szmodics’ age may put off some more forward-thinking Premier League suitors, but you wouldn’t be against a bottom-half team making a move if they need a goalscorer.
3. Jack Clarke (Sunderland)
With 15 goals and four assists in the league this season, winger Jack Clarke is enjoying his best season yet and delivering on the early promise he showed coming through the ranks at Leeds United.
His £10million move to Spurs in 2019 came too early, as he underwent a series of underwhelming loan spells before permanently joining Sunderland in 2022.
A classic winger with pace and invention, Clarke was perhaps the division’s best player over the first half of the season before Sunderland’s began to burn through managers and he picked up an injury.
But with Sunderland set for a midtable finish, it is unlikely they will be able to turn down any serious offers this summer for the 23-year-old, who deserves to be playing top-flight football.
4. Morgan Whittaker (Plymouth Argyle)
Only two players have scored more than the 19 goals netted by former Derby County youngster Morgan Whittaker this season and if Plymouth Argyle avoid a bottom-three finish, the 23-year-old will be a big reason why.
The left-footer ability on the ball and habit of creating chances for both himself and his teammates will make him one of the Championship’s most in-demand players this summer.
With Argyle already having knocked back a bid from Italian giants Lazio for Whittaker in January, they will be ready for the phone to ring again and can expect to field offers way in excess of the £1million it cost to bring him to Home Park last summer.
5. Jaden Philogene (Hull City)
Hull City will be hoping for some late twists and turns as they look to gatecrash the playoff spots at the 11th hour. Should things go their way, then the £5million deal that brought Jaden Philogene to Humberside from Aston Villa will go down as a bargain.
The 22-year-old has been one of the most exciting wingers in the Championship this term and his brilliant nutmeg-then-rabona goal against Rotherham will have made plenty of top-flight sides sit up and take notice.
With 12 goals and six assists this season, Philogene’s age and potential will tick a lot of boxes for plenty of Premier League sides this summer.
Aston Villa do have a £15million buy-back clause as a part of the deal that took Philogene to Humberside - but it only kicks in if the play-off chasing Tigers are promoted.
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