The Championship is the right breeding floor for golf equipment to signal gamers at a comparatively modest worth and develop them earlier than promoting for an enormous fortune to groups within the Premier League trying to strengthen.
Beforehand, solely these lingering on the backside of the highest flight would poach gamers who had shone within the league beneath.
As time has handed, particularly because of the funds concerned within the English recreation, higher gamers have moved to the second tier. This implies golf equipment within the higher echelons have begun to take discover and spend huge cash to signal Championship gamers.
All these strikes have elevated exponentially lately. With this in thoughts, we’ve explored the highest 15 document gross sales by Championship golf equipment over time.
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Costliest gross sales by Championship groups |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank |
Participant |
Bought by |
Membership joined |
Price |
1 |
Roméo Lavia |
Southampton |
Chelsea |
£58m |
=2 |
Georginio Rutter |
Leeds |
Brighton |
£40m |
=2 |
Tino Livramento |
Southampton |
Newcastle United |
£40m |
=2 |
James Maddison |
Leicester |
Tottenham Hotspur |
£40m |
=2 |
Nathan Ake |
Bournemouth |
Man Metropolis |
£40m |
6 |
Harvey Barnes |
Leicester |
Newcastle United |
£38m |
7 |
Ollie Watkins |
Brentford |
Aston Villa |
£33m |
=8 |
Jude Bellingham |
Birmingham |
Borussia Dortmund |
£30m |
=8 |
Archie Grey |
Leeds |
Tottenham Hotspur |
£30m |
=8 |
James Ward-Prowse |
Southampton |
West Ham United |
£30m |
=8 |
Ryan Sessegnon |
Fulham |
Tottenham Hotspur |
£30m |
=8 |
Moussa Sissoko |
Newcastle |
Tottenham Hotspur |
£30m |
=8 |
Joao Pedro |
Watford |
Brighton |
£30m |
=14 |
Crysencio Summerville |
Leeds |
West Ham |
£25m |
=14 |
Wilson Odobert |
Burnley |
Tottenham Hotspur |
£25m |
15
Wilson Odobert
Burnley to Tottenham (£25m)
Burnley might have been relegated after profitable simply 5 video games within the prime flight final season, however one of many few brilliant sparks was Wilson Odobert.
{The teenager} registered six goal contributions for the membership, and this alerted golf equipment within the Premier League, who had been trying to benefit from the Clarets’ relegation.
Tottenham Hotspur gained the race, splurging £25m to bring the Frenchman to London. Thus far this season, he has made simply 5 appearances for Spurs amid damage issues. Hardly cash effectively spent thus far.
14
Crysencio Summerville
Leeds to West Ham (£25m)
Crysencio Summerville wasn’t somebody who was going to linger round for lengthy within the second tier. Throughout his three full seasons at Leeds United, the winger scored 25 goals whereas chipping in with 12 assists for the membership.
After 19 objectives final time period, West Ham United emerged because the frontrunners to signal the Dutchman, lastly securing his signature in a deal worth around £25m.
With only one objective for the Irons up to now, he’s discovering life a tad harder within the prime flight.
13
Joao Pedro
Watford to Brighton (£30m)
Joao Pedro had some Premier League pedigree earlier than transferring to Brighton, that includes 28 occasions for Watford as they suffered relegation within the 2021/22 season.
The south coast aspect had seen sufficient to bid for the ahead themselves, particularly as he scored 11 occasions within the second tier the next season. Based on studies, Brighton spent just under £30m on the Brazilian, and he has regarded like a strong signing up to now.
25 goals across 56 matches actually represents a hit, and he’ll solely get higher.
12
Moussa Sissoko
Newcastle to Tottenham (£30m)
Moussa Sissoko was one of many few positives for Newcastle United all through the 2015/16 season amid the membership’s relegation.
He performed six times for France at Euro 2016, and these shows impressed Spurs, who spent £30m to bring the midfielder to north London.
Spurs obtained worth for cash, as Sissoko went on to play over 200 occasions for the membership, though he couldn’t assist them win a trophy.
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11
Ryan Sessegnon
Fulham to Tottenham (£30m)
Ryan Sessegnon made his debut for Fulham aged simply 16 years and 81 days again in August 2016. Three years and 120 appearances later, Spurs earmarked the teen as the subsequent huge factor.
A price within the region of £25m was paid by Spurs to carry the Englishman to north London, which totalled £30m with add-ons. On the floor, it regarded prefer it might be a sensible funding, however Sessegnon didn’t sparkle for the membership, scoring simply three objectives throughout his spell there.
10
James Ward-Prowse
Southampton to West Ham (£30m)
James Ward-Prowse demonstrated his dead-ball expertise all through his Southampton profession, and through their relegation marketing campaign within the 2022/23 season, he scored four direct free kicks together with three penalties, and his availability alerted West Ham United.
David Moyes was eager on signing the Championship star, and £30m was enough for Southampton to let him go.
Nevertheless, it didn’t fairly work out for the midfielder on the London Stadium, and he has spent the present season on mortgage at Nottingham Forest, attempting to regain the boldness that was on show at St Mary’s.
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9
Archie Grey
Leeds to Tottenham (£30m)
Archie Grey was amongst one of the vital promising gamers within the Championship final season. The 18-year-old missed simply two league matches as Leeds United reached the play-offs.
His performances satisfied Ange Postecoglou to spend £30m on the youngster, who has a brilliant future forward of him.
The Englishman has already featured a lot for Spurs this time period, filling in throughout the backline attributable to a number of damage issues within the squad. Preserve bettering, and the preliminary £30m might flip right into a cut price.
8
Jude Bellingham
Birmingham to Borussia Dortmund (£30m)
Of everybody on this checklist, Jude Bellingham has had the very best profession, but he’s nonetheless solely 21. He emerged as a rare expertise throughout his spell at Birmingham Metropolis, regardless of making just 44 appearances for the membership.
His potential alerted Borussia Dortmund, who reportedly spent over £30m on the midfielder together with add-ons in 2020 – and the transfer labored out pretty effectively. After three seasons in Germany, Actual Madrid got here calling and Bellingham can now depend himself as one of many most interesting gamers on the earth.
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7
Ollie Watkins
Brentford to Aston Villa (£33m)
Ollie Watkins’ journey from non-league to the Premier League has been well-documented, particularly after he scored the winner for England towards the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
His spell at Brentford produced 49 goals throughout 143 matches within the Championship, which led Aston Villa to splash out a club-record fee of up to £33m to carry him to the Midlands.
Quick-forward 5 years, and the Englishman has scored 80 objectives for the membership, proving he has been a wonderful signing.
6
Harvey Barnes
Leicester to Newcastle (£38m)
The Magpies raided the relegated golf equipment in the summertime of 2023, with Leicester Metropolis amongst their targets. They signed Harvey Barnes for £38m – a staggering quantity for a Championship participant.
The left-winger has already notched up 10 goals for the Toon since arriving 18 months in the past. This quantity would probably have been greater had damage points not performed their half.
5
Nathan Ake
Bournemouth to Man Metropolis (£40m)
After a troublesome time at Chelsea, Nathan Ake discovered his ft at Bournemouth, making over 100 appearances for the Cherries. They suffered relegation following the top of the 2019/20 season, which meant the defender would probably be departing.
Manchester Metropolis got here in with an offer of £40m as Pep Guardiola aimed to bolster his choices on the again, and he has been an excellent signing. Ake has gone on to win 4 league titles with the membership, together with the Champions League in 2023.
4
James Maddison
Leicester to Tottenham (£40m)
With James Maddison experiencing relegation with Leicester in 2023, it was all the time the case that his companies can be up for grabs within the following summer time.
Certainly, he was in excessive demand after scoring 10 objectives for Leicester of their relegation marketing campaign, with Spurs splashing the money within the course of.
A price within the region of £40m was agreed to take the participant to north London, however it stays to be seen whether or not this has been cash effectively spent.
3
Tino Livramento
Southampton to Newcastle (£40m)
The summer time of 2023 noticed loads of top-flight golf equipment raid these within the second tier for gamers, particularly from the groups who had been relegated.
Southampton weren’t going to have the ability to maintain on to Tino Livramento for lengthy, and when Newcastle got here in with an offer of up to £40m, it was accepted.
The teen has emerged as a key member of Eddie Howe’s squad, even profitable his first England cap late final yr.
2
Georginio Rutter
Leeds to Brighton (£40m)
Scoring eight goals and registering 18 assists throughout his spell at Leeds United ensured Georginio Rutter wouldn’t stay within the second tier after the Whites misplaced the play-off ultimate final time period.
Underneath Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton signed the forward for £40m final summer time, and with six goals in 22 video games for the south coast aspect, it has been an encouraging begin for the Frenchman on his return to the highest flight.
1
Romeo Lavia
Southampton to Chelsea (£58m)
Roméo Lavia turned the costliest participant to be bought by a Championship membership again in 2023 when he joined Chelsea for a staggering fee of £58m.
As a result of damage points, the 21-year-old managed to play just once for the Blues throughout his maiden season and has but to ascertain himself within the beginning XI beneath Enzo Maresca.
As of late January 2025, 12 appearances throughout all competitions this season point out that he has loads of work to do, however he has missed a number of video games attributable to a hamstring drawback.
If Maresca can get the Belgian starlet again 100% match and wholesome, Lavia might become a wonderful long-term participant for the membership.
The £58m it took to signal him might effectively be a Championship document for fairly a while.
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