Over the past few years, the EFL Championship has emerged as a gold mine for talents. The second-tier of English football provides the perfect stage for young and talented players to showcase their capabilities, affording them plenty of exposure and first-team experience.
The likes of Wilfried Zaha and Dele Alli rose to prominence in the Championship before earning a move to the top division where they have continued to excel. With the business end of the season fast approaching, clubs will have started for planning for the upcoming term. And there are plenty of jewels in the Championship that have the abilities and the talents to earn a move to the Premier League and succeed at that level. Here we pick out four precious talents that deserve a move to the top-flight:
Tammy Abraham
Technically, he is a player from a Premier League team, but the Chelsea loanee has been on an amazing streak in the Championship for his loan team Bristol City.
The 19-year old has scored an impressive 21 goals from 38 appearances for the Robins and is the second-highest goalscorer in the Championship behind Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle. Having scored a whopping 41% of the total team goals for this season, Abraham has shown he is ready for the big league. Chelsea could do with his services for the next season with Michy Batshuayi’s future up in the air. But if they decide to loan him out again, it should definitely be to a Premier League club.
Ryan Sessegnon
The 16-year old Fulham left-back has garnered huge interest from Premier League bigwigs and could very well be moving away from Craven Cottage at the end of the season.
Having made his debut back in August last year, Sessegnon has caused a stir among the Fulham fans with some brilliant displays on the left-flank that belie his age. From 21 appearances across all competitions, the full-back has notched up four goals and three assists so far this season. Not bad returns by any standards for a full-back, and a 16-year old full-back that. Just like any young full-back, Sessegnon loves to bomb forward with pace and is really athletic. He could add a lot to any team he might join in the summer.
Dominic Iorfa
The 21-year old Wolverhampton Wanderers right-back, who can operate as a centre-half as well, has been a revelation this season.
Iorfa has been highly regarded at the Molineux for quite some time now and he has put in some excellent displays for Wolves. He has notched up 25 appearances for Paul Lambert’s side across all competitions this season and has set up one goal. He has also displayed an array of abilities. Comfortable with carrying the ball on his feet, he is extremely strong in the air and is an astute tackler as well. Questions remain over his disciplinary issues, but Iorfa could be a shrewd signing for a mid-table Premier League club.
Charlie Taylor
The 23-year old Leeds United left-back is another exciting prospect who has interested clubs in the past and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, a move to the top tier looks highly likely.
Taylor has taken the field 25 times for Leeds this season and has assisted three goals so far. Under manager Garry Monk, the full-back has developed into one of the most pivotal players for the Championship club. Tall, strong and possessing a decent amount of pace, Taylor has demonstrated great defensive awareness, and at the same time, he has also shown he can raid down the flanks and cause troubles to the opponents. With many Premier League clubs looking for a left-back, the 23-year old could prove to be an excellent addition, considering that he will come for free.
