Transfers to watch out for in the Championship

•  It’s almost a month into the Championship season, and new signings are beginning to make their mark
•  Among the most high-profile transfers include Harry Winks to Leicester City and Ellis Simms to Coventry City
•  However, there are many under-the-radar moves that could prove to be astute signings

We’re a few games into the Championship, and there’s about a week until the transfer window slams shut. 

There have been the usual high-profile transfers, the likes of Ellis Simms moving from Everton to Coventry City, Ethan Ampadu swapping Chelsea for Leeds United, and Leicester City signing Harry Winks and Conor Coady from Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. 

But what about the transfers that may have gone slightly under the radar for those who don’t follow the teams in question, but could have a big impact on the new team’s fortunes this season?

Koji Miyoshi – Royal Antwerp to Birmingham City

Birmingham have had a busy summer with a takeover and plenty of new signings. Former loanees Dion Sanderson and Krystian Bielik are among the incomings, as well as Bournemouth’s Siriki Dembele and Manchester United’s Ethan Laird. 

But what about 26-year-old winger Miyoshi? A Japanese international, he signed from Royal Antwerp on a free transfer. He only made ten league appearances for the Belgian Pro League champions last season after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture in October 2022, and he’s rather an unknown quantity on these shores.

He’s largely started on the bench for the Blues this season, but has made a positive impression when appearing as a substitute. He scored the opener away at Bristol City last weekend after coming on for the injured Laird after 40 minutes and it could be the first of many. 

Dimitrios Goutas – Sivasspor to Cardiff City

Another international, this time for Greece, 29-year-old centre-back Goutas swapped Sivasspor in the Turkish Süper Lig, where he played with erstwhile Leicester winger Ahmed Musa, for South Wales. 

He was substituted in the defeat to Leicester last weekend, but before that had played every minute in the league. While Cardiff’s start to the season hasn’t been great, but it feels as though he’ll grow in importance as he adjusts to a new country and a new league. 

New manager Erol Bulut may have been a bit of a left-field choice, but his experience in managing in Turkey could be a real advantage if he can pick up gems who may not be on the radar of other managers. 

Andre Vidigal – Maritimo to Stoke City 

It’s early days, but it looks as if Portuguese forward Vidigal has been a great buy for the Potters. The former Portugal youth international, 24, arrived on a permanent from his home country, but his eight goals last term weren’t enough to save Maritimo from relegation to Liga Portugal 2. 

Stoke have made a number of promising signings this summer, but he might be the pick of the bunch after scoring a first-half brace against Rotherham United on the opening day. A few days later, he scored the winner to knock West Bromwich Albion out of the EFL Cup, and then last weekend scored the only goal as Stoke beat Watford. 

The Potters have had a mixed few years back in the Championship after relegation in 2018, mostly huddled around mid-table, but their signings over the summer have caught the eye. Young Morocco forward Ryan Mmaee looks an intriguing buy from Hungarian side Ferencváros, while right winger Mehdi Léris, signed from Sampdoria, looks like an interesting addition. 

Christian Fassnacht – Young Boys to Norwich City 

Swiss international Fassnacht left the Super League after six years with Young Boys to join Norwich. The right-winger had a good few years with the Swiss champions, and at 29 it feels like a good time for him to experience a new country.

He certainly made a good start, scoring in the thrilling 4-4 draw away at Southampton earlier this month – he thought he scored the winner after his 84th minute goal made it 4-3, but the Canaries were denied all three points after Adam Armstrong’s 97th-minute penalty ensured both teams would share the spoils. 

He’s one of a number of new signings Norwich have made this summer, after they failed to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking last term, but unlike Adam Forshaw, George Long, Ashley Barnes, Shane Duffy, and Jack Stacey, he lacks experience in the top two divisions of English football. 

Jason Lokilo – Sparta Rotterdam to Hull City 

Hull have been quietly going about some impressive business, including bringing in forward Liam Delap from Manchester City on loan and signing fellow striker Aaron Connolly on a permanent deal from Brighton & Hove Albion. Right-winger Lokilo, signed after he left Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie, is another interesting addition.

And he’s not entirely an unknown quantity on these shores, either. After coming through the ranks at Anderlecht, the former DR Congo youth international, born in Belgium, joined Crystal Palace in 2015. He then joined Doncaster Rovers in 2020 after failing to break through at Palace, before time in Poland and then back in Belgium.

He made his debut against Doncaster in the EFL Cup and was described as a standout player in a disappointing game. While it’s still early days in his career with the Tigers, the signs look promising, and he’s still only 24 years old. He’s definitely a player to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

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