The Championship is often defined by its unpredictability, and smart recruitment can be the difference between a play-off push and a relegation battle.
This summer has seen no shortage of eye-catching deals, with plenty of clubs signing players capable of transforming their fortunes. From diamonds in the rough to exciting young talents ready to make the step up, the window has produced several standout signings.
Here are five of the very best, who could be set to shape the 2025/26 season.
Top Five Championship Signings
Jens Cajuste To Ipswich Town
Despite Ipswich’s relegation from the Premier League in the 2024/25 season, Cajuste proved to be a stalwart in the heart of the Blues’ side, featuring in 32 games across all competitions, growing into the season well.
Cajuste told the club’s website on joining: “From what I have seen, the Championship is like war and one of the toughest leagues in the world, so that’s a challenge I am really excited about.”
With a reported loan fee of €2m and €7.5m mandatory buy clause if Ipswich are promoted to the Premier League, this could be looked back on as an exceptional deal from the Town.
Nestory Irankunda To Watford
Watford wrapped up an early deal in July to sign the 19-year-old winger from Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich.
Irankunda scored his first goal for boyhood club Adelaide United at just 15 years old, before getting the move to Germany. In the 2024/25 season, the Australia international was named as one of goal.com’s top 50 wonderkids.
Since joining the Hornets, in two starts, he already has two goal involvements to match. Signed on a 5-year deal, if Watford have serious plans to gain promotion back to the Premier League, Irankunda could be an exciting talisman.
Kyogo Furuhashi To Birmingham
Birmingham pulled off the smart signing of former-Celtic striker Furuhashi, despite him joining Rennes in January for £10m.
The Japanese international scored 85 goals in 165 appearances for Celtic, winning four Scottish Premierships during his time in Scotland.
Birmingham will be looking to surprise a few in gaining back-to-back promotions from the Championship, and signing proven goalscorers is certainly a way to do that!
Richard Kone To QPR
All summer, it looked like a matter of where, not if, for Richard Kone, who ended up at QPR after many Championship clubs enquired.
Considering no QPR players reached a goal tally of 10 last season, a consistent striker was needed. Richard Kone scored 21 in League One for Wycombe, so he should provide that consistent input.
Leicester City were a side significantly interested in the striker’s services, so QPR look to have wrapped up a clever deal.
Tom Fellows To Southampton (pending)
Southampton have all but wrapped up the signing of West Bromwich Albion winger Tom Fellows, in a deal worth up to £10m.
West Brom were asking for double this pricetag a year ago, but it seems the Englishman is keen to move on, despite Ryan Mason’s new project at the Hawthorns.
Fellows found 18 goal contributions in the Championship last season – one in three of West Brom’s goals came through his services. Southampton have been in desperate need of a right winger with crossing ability, which makes Fellows the ideal signing.
Fellows looks set to make his Southampton debut in the South Coast Derby, which will be interesting…
There are also some honourable mention deals from this summer:
Mathias Kvistgaarden – Norwich City
Callum Doyle – Wrexham
Maksym Talovierov – Stoke City
Alfie Doughty – Millwall
Nathan Broadhead – Wrexham
Sorba Thomas – Stoke City
Ethan Galbraith – Swansea City
With just a few days of the transfer window remaining, the prices on deals will heat up, as well as the rumour mill! Who do you think the best signing has been?
