In terms of prominent talking points and individual and team performances, the Championship season has undoubtedly gotten off to a fast start.
However, because the first international break of the season has been extended, English football’s second division will now be neglected for three weeks. This effectively eliminates the necessity for a stoppage in mid-October.
As the key winter months draw closer, many of the division’s top players will now shift their attention to international duty, while others see it as an opportunity to start over before the next round of games.
Football League World has evaluated the first two months of the season and chosen the ten players who have performed the best after securing moves during the summer transfer window, which ended on September 1st. However, it is still unclear which teams and players will return from that break in excellent form.
10Liam Millar – Hull City to Birmingham City (Loan)
Liam Millar, a Canadian winger who was leased by Birmingham City from Premier League newcomers Hull City, is the first name on this list.
The 44-time international was a regular member of Sergej Jakirovic’s Tigers team that won the play-offs the previous season, but he has already demonstrated why Chris Davies courted his signing at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park for a while after scoring the game-winning goal for them against Coventry City last month.
Due to his aggressive style, Millar has given Birmingham’s left-wing position some new life. In just four games, he has already contributed three assists and one goal, which came against Middlesbrough.
Could the former Liverpool player find a new permanent residence as his contract at Hull expires in June of next year?
9Rio Cardines – Crystal Palace to Bristol City (Loan)
During Michael Skubala’s first transfer window at Ashton Gate, Bristol City signed eleven players.
Rio Cardines, a full-back for Trinidad & Tobago who came on loan from Crystal Palace, is the most notable addition to date.
The 20-year-old, who made his senior debut at Selhurst Park under Oliver Glasner last season, will undoubtedly be attracting the attention of new Eagles manager Pierre Sage in the first few weeks of the current campaign because, as a left-back, he has already contributed six assists in the Robins’ first eight games.
As a result, he leads all Championship players by two points in that specific metric.
8Amario Cozier-Duberry – Brighton and Hove Albion to Middlesbrough (Loan)
Amario Cozier-Duberry’s loan from Brighton & Hove Albion was one of the several striking transfers Middlesbrough made this summer in their pursuit of promotion.
The highly regarded winger excelled in League play for Bolton Wanderers. His recent upward trajectory has already continued at Riverside Stadium, where he finished the previous season with 10 goals and 13 assists across all competitions for the League One play-off winners.
After struggling with Blackburn Rovers in the past, Cozier-Duberry, 21, has scored two goals and provided an assist in his first three games for the Teessiders, dispelling any doubts about his ability to perform at the Championship level.
7Will Lankshear – Tottenham Hotspur to Middlesbrough
Will Lankshear, who joined Kim Hellberg from Tottenham Hotspur in a move potentially worth up to £20 million, was another well-known acquisition.
After scoring 12 goals in 47 games for Oxford United the previous season, there was much debate about whether the attacker would stay in North London or find consistent playing time elsewhere.
However, Middlesbrough has already benefited from Spurs’ choice to transfer the England junior international. The clinical forward has already scored eight goals in his first 11 appearances for the team across all competitions, making him the perfect answer to their previous goalscoring problems.
6Cyle Larin – RCD Mallorca to Southampton
Even though Spygate ended the Saints’ season, Cyle Larin’s loan move from RCD Mallorca to Southampton in January coincided with the team’s run to the play-offs under Tonda Eckert.
The Canadian’s confidence was further bolstered by two goals for his nation at the FIFA World Cup, and after scoring eight goals in 16 games, his permanent £3 million move to St Mary’s felt like a steal for the Championship team.
The 31-year-old has already scored seven goals in his first eight league games this season, helping to quickly erase Saints’ four-point deduction and reaffirm their status as possible promotion contenders. As a result, these conclusions over the minimal fee have only been stronger.
5Ethan Galbraith – Swansea City to Stoke City
When Stoke City paid £10 million to buy Northern Ireland international Ethan Galbraith from Swansea City in July, there were doubts.
Despite the Potters’ poor start under Mark Robins in August, the 25-year-old former Manchester United player has already scored three goals and provided one assist.
Galbraith’s underlying figures also demonstrate how much of a metronomic figure he has already become in this Stoke team. If the Staffordshire team can, for once, launch a play-off challenge, supporters will hope that such accomplishments continue.
4Stephen Welsh – Celtic to Swansea City
With Vitor Matos’ team possessing a strong defensive base and the ability to punish opponents, Swansea City has undoubtedly been the surprise package of the Championship season thus far.
Therefore, in the first few weeks of the season, Stephen Welsh’s free transfer from Scottish Premiership powerhouse Celtic has turned out to be the division’s best deal.
Stephen Welsh’s Championship Statistics for 2026–2027
Appearances
8
Sheets that are clean
3
Interceptions for each match
0.8
Each Game’s Tackles
0.6
Recuperations for Each Game
4.0
Clearances for each game
5.6
Each game’s dribbled past
0.1
Sofascore statistics
In his first eight games for the South Wales team, the 26-year-old has already contributed three clean sheets after taking advantage of Cameron Burgess’s untimely achilles injury to partner Ben Cabango.
Welsh, who played just 70 games for Celtic, was rewarded with his first call-up to the senior Scotland team under Sebastian Pocognoli, the team’s new head coach.
3Jimmy-Jay Morgan – Chelsea to West Bromwich Albion
Both West Bromwich Albion and summer acquisition Jimmy-Jay Morgan have had a positive start to James Morrison’s first full season in command at The Hawthorns.
Morrison has signed a number of players under 25, and signing the 20-year-old attacker for £4 million may prove to be a wise move in the long run.
Last season, Morgan scored 14 goals in 39 games for Peterborough United. He has already improved his game by leading the line alongside Norwegian Aune Heggebo with three goals and as many assists for the Baggies.
2Manor Solomon – Tottenham Hotspur to West Ham United
Next up is seasoned Israel international winger Manor Solomon, who spent just £5 million during the summer transfer window to join West Ham United from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 27-year-old was a vital component of Leeds United’s Championship-winning team under Daniel Farke just two terms prior, but he struggled on loan at Fulham in the Premier League last season.
Solomon has started seven of the Hammers’ first eight games, despite the fact that the team’s performance has been quite inconsistent. Despite this, Solomon has put on several impressive displays that indicate his individual quality is significantly higher than that of many players at the level.
This was especially clear in the 6-0 thrashing of Wrexham at the London Stadium on September 11th, when he was rewarded with a goal and an assist for his outstanding play.
1Raul Jimenez – Unattached to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Raul Jimenez, a 35-year-old Mexican international striker who made an emotional homecoming to Wolves this summer after leaving Fulham, completes this list.
With the exception of Adam Armstrong, Jimenez has contributed a wealth of experience and in-game knowledge to Cesar Peixoto’s otherwise youthful attack, and it has paid off thus far despite the fact that he has only started four Championship games, despite the forward’s well-established emotional bond with the supporters in this region.
Wanderers have already gained four additional points as a result of the 130-time international’s two crucial late-game performances against Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United.
Although it is unclear how many games he will actually start, he is likely the best rotation option in the entire league.
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