Following the close of the January transfer window, all 24 Championship clubs will be looking for an extra injection of quality to help them achieve their goals as the 2025/26 season approaches its end.
The race for promotion to the Premier League is heating up among Coventry City, Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town, and others, while a desperate struggle to avoid relegation is taking place at the bottom of the table.
Football League World has evaluated the Championship’s wingers based on their quality, from the top to the bottom.
24Derby County – Jaydon Banel
Derby County lacks natural wide options due to John Eustace’s predilection for wing-backs, leaving Jaydon Banel as the sole viable contender to begin the ball rolling.
Ben Brereton-Diaz and Rhian Brewster can both play wide, but they are more comfortable in central areas.
Banel, who was educated in Ajax’s famous junior systems, joined Derby on loan from Burnley in January and has played very little football above the Dutch second tier, so the jury is still out on the 21-year-old at this point.
23Sheffield Wednesday – Joel Ndala
Sheffield Wednesday’s options are limited, as the relegation-bound strugglers are virtually barren of bodies following a recent squad exodus.
The Owls have struggled to retain and recruit players, but they were able to close some deals in January and bring Joel Ndala to Hillsborough for the rest of the season.
The clever 19-year-old winger had shone in Manchester City’s academy before spending the first half of the season with top-six contenders Hull City, where he scored once in 17 league games.
If nothing else, Ndala has an advantage against Banel due to his championship experience.
22Bristol City – George Earthy
The late departure of top forward Anis Mehmeti makes evaluating Bristol City’s remaining wide options much more difficult, especially as Gerhard Struber advocates for all-action wing-backs in his 3-4-2-1 formation.
Given that the Austrian prefers to use two free-roaming ‘number-tens’ behind the striker, the Robins’ most natural wide man might be returning loanee George Earthy.
The 21-year-old spent the entire previous season on loan from West Ham, scoring three goals as City finished in the top six under Liam Manning.
He’s an intriguing livewire talent with a lot of promise, but he’ll need to increase his productivity to climb up this list.
21Oxford United – Przemyslaw Placheta
Oxford United were incredibly busy in January in their attempts to avoid relegation, signing Aidomo Emakhu from Millwall, who would have been a good fit here, but we’ve chosen on Przemyslaw Placheta.
The seven-cap Polish international has electric pace and a knack for long-range efforts; if this ranking were solely a measure of ability, without taking into account consistency and a variety of other measures, he would likely rank considerably higher.
20Swansea City – Ronald Pereira
Meanwhile, our vote for Swansea City has gone to Ronald Pereira, but this could alter due to the presence of another Brazilian wide-man in SA1.
Gustavo Nunes has been promising since his January loan move from Brentford, and he could soon succeed Ronald, but the 24-year-old has been a consistent performer at Swansea for the last two years and deserves to keep the job for now.
Ronald’s first full season in South Wales yielded two goals and seven assists, but his erratic output prevents him from moving up the rankings.
19Charlton Athletic – Tyreece Campbell
Nathan Jones’ five-at-the-back system for Charlton Athletic means there are few candidates at the Valley, with Tyreece Campbell being our pick from a small pool.
Jayden Fevrier, the only other contender, has yet to play in the Championship and struggled for consistent minutes at Stockport County before joining Charlton on loan in a swap deal with Tanto Olaofe.
Campbell frequently divides opinion among Charlton fans, but while the Jamaican international’s final pass needs work, he consistently impresses and makes things happen in a wing-back role that may limit his offensive options.
18Blackburn Rovers – Dapo Afolayan
Blackburn Rovers have made a January signing, and much will be expected of Dapo Afolayan in his side’s ongoing survival effort after returning to England from Bundesliga club St. Pauli.
Afolayan was electric for Bolton in the League. One before heading for Germany in 2023, and while the Championship is a different kettle of fish, his nine goals to help St Pauli gain promotion in 2024, combined with a handful in the Bundesliga, means he comes with some pedigree and could adjust to the second tier.
17QPR – Koki Saito
QPR are spoilt for choice in this part of the game, with Karamoko Dembele, Kwame Poku, Paul Smyth, and even Harvey Vale all offering viable choices for Julien Stephan.However, we’ve decided to go with Japanese winger Koki Saito, who impressed on loan last season before moving permanently to Loftus Road and has continued to excel – even if consistency is still lacking.
16Hull City – Mohamed Belloumi
You have to feel for Hull City’s Mohamed Belloumi, who has suffered serious injury setbacks that hinder the highly-rated Algerian winger from reaching his full potential at the MKM Stadium.
An ACL injury last season interrupted a promising start in East Yorkshire, and he’s also spent time on the treatment table this season, but the 23-year-old is still a genuine talent with the potential to light up the Championship when completely healthy.
For the time being, his bad luck is working against him, with teammate Liam Millar receiving an honorable mention.
15Preston North End – Callum Lang
Preston North End are another Championship side that does not use out-and-out wingers, but Paul Heckingbottom’s approach has worked wonders this season, with the Lilywhites firmly in contention for a top-six finish.Callum Lang, a versatile frontline player who comes in ahead of fellow North End star Lewis Dobbin, might be key in those attempts.Injuries prevented Lang from playing much for Portsmouth this season before leaving Fratton Park, but the versatile forward was crucial last season, scoring 10 goals in 32 appearances, and if he can replicate those levels in Lancashire, Preston should finish in the play-offs.
14Norwich City – Ali Ahmed
Ali Ahmed, a classy left-sided operator, has just recently arrived in the Championship after joining Norwich City from Vancouver Whitecaps, but his MLS experience and impressive start at Carrow Road get him the nod here.
Ahmed, a successful Canadian international, dazzled in the United States and appears to be a strong candidate to become another offensive star for Norwich.
His ingenuity and agility give Philippe Clement a new profile, and he appears to have hit gold with this specific shot.
13Watford – Othmane Maamma
Othmane Maamma may rise to the top of the tree here simply on the basis of potential.
Maamma, still only 20, has demonstrated his precocious potential in flashes since joining Watford from Montpellier last summer, and the gifted winger also won the Golden Ball as a member of Morocco’s U20 World Cup-winning team in October.
With blistering speed, an array of tricks, and an ever-improving final ball, Maamma has already been linked with a number of top clubs and should not be expected to stay in the Championship for long – it’s only a lack of experience and longevity at this level that counts against the Hornets star here.
12Wrexham AFC – Nathan Broadhead
Nathan Broadhead of Wrexham is up next, having progressed from an inexperienced campaigner to one who has spent years in the EFL.
The former Ipswich Town and Sunderland attacker, who also has 17 caps for Wales, scored 13 goals in the Tractor Boys’ 2023/24 Premier League promotion campaign and has impressed at Wrexham since his initial ยฃ7.5 million move last summer, albeit in a more central role under Phil Parkinson.
He’s at his finest when coming in from the left side, however, and has put together a solid body of work in recent seasons.
11Coventry City – Ephron Mason-Clark
It’s a toss-up between choices at Coventry City, who are well-stocked in every department as Frank Lampard pursues automatic promotion to the top flight.
Strong arguments may be made for Romain Esse, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, or even Haji Wright, but Ephron Mason-Clarke’s all-around style – which brings a wealth of quality, trickery, and creativity to the table – makes him, in our opinion, the Sky Blues’ top winger.
10Middlesbrough – Morgan Whittaker
Few Championship players divide opinion as much as Morgan Whittaker, the former Swansea and Plymouth Argyle attacker who has found form on Teesside after a rocky start.
Whittaker is a guaranteed supplier of second-tier goals when fully firing, and he achieved double figures at the start of January in what has been a great season for the 25-year-old, who has established himself as a driving force in a Middlesbrough team vying for a top-two spot.
9Portsmouth – Josh Murphy
Portsmouth, on the other hand, will merely be looking to avoid relegation for the rest of the season, and Josh Murphy will need to produce the same level of brilliance that propelled John Mousinho’s side to safety in 2024/25.
Murphy has lost significant amounts of time this season due to injury, which has contributed to Portsmouth’s woes after he lit up Fratton Park with seven goals and 14 assists in his rookie season, establishing a dangerous double-act with Colby Bishop.
The seasoned winger has excelled in each of the top three tiers over the years, but he has perhaps played his greatest football for Pompey.
Murphy’s speed, directness, and inch-perfect deliveries make him one of the most difficult customers for Championship full-backs on his day, and the former Cardiff City starlet may have risen much higher if he had played more this season.
8Birmingham City – Demarai Gray
Demarai Gray, who returned to childhood club Birmingham City in a high-profile trade last summer, is just ahead of the pack.
Indeed, the fact that Gray has spent so much of his career at the highest level helps him here – but he’s contributed much in a mixed season for Birmingham and has the edge over the very impressive Patrick Roberts.
7Millwall – Femi Azeez
Femi Azeez, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the division’s biggest surprise packages this season, kicking on tenfold to become one of the most fearsome wingers in the Championship following his 2024 transfer from Reading to Millwall, which preceded an uneven start.
The right-sided starlet is driving Millwall’s promotion push and has proved himself as a genuine match-winner at Championship level.
The Lions now need Azeez to maintain his levels as they approach a possible first-ever Premier League promotion, having turned down a number of large late bids for Azeez’s services from Ipswich Town on deadline day.
6West Bromwich Albion – Mikey Johnston
West Bromwich Albion’s survival hopes will be rested on the shoulders of maverick winger Mikey Johnston, who is widely regarded as one of the Championship’s best players.
Though the Baggies have slipped into relegation trouble under both Ryan Mason and Eric Ramsay, Johnston has been very impressive on an individual level, providing plenty of X-Factor in an otherwise poor attacking squad.
The 26-year-old can beat his man and create opportunities at will, and his mercurial ability places him among the Championship’s best wingers.
5Southampton – Leo Scienza
Much the same can be said for Southampton’s Leo Scienza, who has adapted well to the Championship after joining from Bundesliga club FC Heidenheim last summer.
The Brazilian winger scored 11 goals in all competitions last season, which, along with a ยฃ7.8 million price tag, set high expectations – and they were met.
Scienza has provided frequent attacking creativity in an unimpressive Southampton team, with his intricate ball-carrying, flair, and poise in front of goal distinguishing him as the Saints’ top player.
He’s more than capable of performing at the highest level, and it’ll be intriguing to see what Scienza’s long-term future holds if Tonda Eckert’s team misses out on a playoff spot.
4Sheffield United – Gus Hamer
Although the current season is definitely important, Sheffield United dynamo Gus Hamer should not be disregarded, even if his fortunes at Bramall Lane remain mixed in 2025/26.
The dynamic Dutchman has been one of the Championship’s top players for years, dating back to his time at Coventry, and managed the Blades’ run to the play-off final last season, scoring 10 goals and providing eight assists.
Hamer, who now plays in a wide-left spot rather than out of midfield, lost his place to ex-Sky Blues teammate Callum O’Hare earlier in the season but appears to be regaining his form.
When he’s on top form, which he usually is, the 28-year-old’s creative brilliance and set-piece danger are nearly unrivaled at this level.
3Stoke City – Sorba Thomas
Despite Hamer’s unquestionable skill, Stoke City wideman Sorba Thomas is our pick for the Championship’s third-best winger right now.
The 23-cap Welsh international possesses exceptional technical abilities, and he is now reaching new heights under Mark Robins after coming from Huddersfield Town.
Thomas’ stint in West Yorkshire was mixed, but it was not without merit, as he set up 15 goals in Town’s journey to the 2021/22 play-off final against Nottingham Forest.
He’s a great threat up and down the left wing, as well as in midfield, and has struck the back of the net on a regular basis, infusing significant creativity into Robins’ top-six chasing team as one of the division’s star players this season.
Thomas is a goal-scoring and creative talisman in the Potteries, and it’s been a long time since Stoke made such an excellent purchase.
2Leicester City – Abdul Fatawu
Abdul Fatawu, on the other hand, has been a bright spot in what is turning up to be a disastrous season both on and off the pitch for Leicester City.
After scoring 19 goals and providing 19 assists in the Foxes’ 2023/24 title-winning season under Enzo Maresca, Fatawu was expected to terrorise the Championship once more, and he has.
In terms of attacking, only goalscoring midfielder Jordan James has offered to lighten Fatawu’s load, with the duo frequently carrying an otherwise beleaguered team on their shoulders.
It’s easy to forget that the Ghanaian winger, who has attracted plenty of interest overseas in recent years, is still only 21, and if Leicester’s future appears uncertain, his own is definitely bright.
He’s another top-bracket Championship wide-man with genuine X-Factor potential who can burst past full-backs and reach the back of the net from almost anywhere.
1Jaden Philogene
Ultimately, we’ve decided that Ipswich’s Jaden Philogene is the greatest winger in the Championship.
Many feel that the 24-year-old is the division’s best player overall, which is understandable given his ยฃ20 million move from Aston Villa at the start of last year.
Philogene has improved dramatically since his breakout loan spell at Cardiff in 2022/23, with both Hull and now Ipswich benefiting from his talent.
The Tractor Boys flyer, like runner-up Fatawu, can dance past opponents or score from all angles and distances, with a goal record that may be unrivaled at this level.
Philogene has been awe-inspiring for Ipswich this season, and his face-value productivity and jaw-dropping natural talent have helped him outperform colleagues such as the aforementioned Mehmeti and ex-Sunderland great Jack Clarke.
Kieran McKenna’s diverse alternatives are quite appealing, but Philogene is the best of the group.
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