The English Football League (EFL) has produced a wide range of footballing talent in recent years. The likes of Dele Alli at MK Dons, Michael Olise at Reading and Eberechi Eze at QPR have all made the transition to the Premier League and had success in England’s top-flight.
This season, League One has played host to several young stars who could, one day, be destined for the top of the pyramid. Which current players in the third tier of England will follow in the footsteps of Alli and make it to the Premier League?
Jay Stansfield (22) – Birmingham City
Birmingham City made the headlines when they paid an initial £15m to bring Jay Stansfield to St. Andrews, smashing the previous League One transfer record of £3.4m for Will Grigg.
The young forward swapped Fulham for Birmingham in the summer as the Blues look to instantly bounce back to the Championship.
With the weight of a large transfer fee on his shoulders, has Stansfield lived up to the expectation?
So far, yes. The former Fulham forward has netted on 16 occasions as City lead the League One pack by six points.
Stansfield is in the 87th percentile for shot attempts. This means that he attempts more shots than 87 per cent of similar players in his position.
The creativity of his Birmingham teammates has played a big part in this. The likes of Willum Willumsson have allowed Stansfield to test the opposition defenders more than most forwards.
With the Blues on course for promotion, Stansfield will have the opportunity to once again shine in England’s second tier. Birmingham, under the ownership of Tom Wagner, will look to make it back-to-back promotions as they strive to reach their ambition of returning to the Premier League.
Whether Birmingham return to the top-flight or not, Jay Stansfield will surely become a regular in the Premier League during his career.
Richard Kone (21) – Wycombe Wanderers
Richard Kone’s recent rise through English football has been nothing short of remarkable. Kone began his career at non-league Athletic Newham before Wycombe won the race for his signature in January 2024.
The Ivorian striker has bagged an impressive 16 League One goals for Wycombe this season.
A testament to Kone’s ability is that Luton Town were willing to pay as high as £6m for the Wanderers striker in January.
Wycombe held firm in their valuation and ultimately kept hold of their man as they look to return to the Championship for the second time and first since 2021.
Kone’s statistics have been very impressive during this campaign. The Wanderers forward has averaged 0.8 goals per game and is in the 97th percentile for goals scored making him a lethal prospect in front of goal.
Even if Wycombe do gain promotion, they may struggle to keep hold of their man, but Luton Town and former manager Matt Bloomfield would prove to be unlikely suitors if they are condemned to back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to League One.
The former Newham man has all the qualities to succeed in the higher echelons of the English pyramid but may need to prove himself in the second tier before he is ready for the rigorous demands of Premier League football.
Ethan Erhahon (23) – Lincoln City
Lincoln City have a brilliant player on their hands. Ethan Erhahon has been a standout player during a tumultuous campaign for the Imps.
The Scottish midfielder plays as a defensive midfielder for Michael Skubala’s side and is often praised for his ball-retention abilities.
Erhahon makes an average of 6.6 recoveries per game and has a pass accuracy of 83 per cent, making him a reliable figure in the centre of the park.
Lincoln fans have often talked about the prospect of losing Erhahon to a side higher in the English pyramid and it is not hard to see why.
The former St Mirren man is in both the 90th and 91st percentile for both accurate long balls and long ball accuracy. This makes the midfielder an excellent passer of the ball from deep positions.
A possession-based side could look to move in for Erhahon in the transfer window. The Scotsman has proved he can excel in League One for several seasons so may look to explore his options at the end of the campaign.
A Championship move may be on the cards for Erhahon who has previously attracted the interest of Hull City. If he can impress at a higher level, he may well be on his way to a Premier League move.
