(Picture by George Wooden/Getty Pictures)
Everton have lastly , with the midfielder’s transfer from Middlesbrough rubber-stamped this week. The 24-year-old was the second tier’s standout participant final season, incomes the Championship Participant of the Season award.
It’s not the primary time Everton have signed a former winner, with claiming the prize 12 months earlier than his transfer to Goodison Park. Latest winners have had a blended file when stepping up, although there have been some notable success tales.
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Ollie Watkins received the award in 2019/20 after scoring 26 objectives in 50 video games for throughout all competitions. The Bees narrowly missed out on computerized promotion earlier than dropping the play-off ultimate to .
signed Watkins in a membership file £28m deal, and that funding has paid off. Watkins has reached double-digits in all six Premier League seasons for Villa, and has netted 108 instances in 278 video games.
Emi Buendia’s good Championship marketing campaign in 2020/21 noticed him celebrated because the league’s finest expertise. The Argentine scored 15 objectives and assisted 16 extra, for a Norwich facet that received the title. Regardless of promotion, Buendia bid farewell to Carrow Street in the summertime and signed for Aston Villa in a switch value as much as £38m.
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He endured a blended time over his first two seasons, earlier than a severe knee damage noticed Buendia lose favour. He hung out on mortgage at in 2024/25, however loved a renaissance final season. Buendia scored 11 objectives in 2025/26 and was named man of the match within the membership’s Europa League ultimate win over .
2022 – Aleksandr Mitrovic
The Serbian striker struggled badly as Fulham had been relegated from the Premier League in 2020/21, however bounced again with a record-breaking marketing campaign a yr later. scored 43 objectives in 44 league video games to set a brand new Championship aim file and proceed his exceptional file within the division.
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Mitrovic scored 81 objectives in 101 second-tier video games for Fulham. For comparability, he netted 28 in 89 top-flight video games for the Cottagers.
Chuba Akpom scored 28 objectives to win the Championship Golden Boot and Participant of the Season award in 2022/23, however opted for a transfer overseas as a substitute of the Premier League.
He signed for Ajax and scored 23 objectives in 72 video games, earlier than mortgage spells with and Ipswich City. Akpom helped Ipswich to promotion final season and can get his Premier League probability in 2026/27.
A participant very a lot within the headlines proper now, with golf equipment circling for Crysencio Summerville after ’s relegation. Summerville signed for the Hammers from for £25m in 2024 after profitable the Championship’s Participant of the Season accolade.
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The winger struggled in season one, however improved final time period regardless of relegation, with seven objectives. After breaking into the Dutch squad and scoring twice on the 2026 World Cup, huge golf equipment are involved in his companies.
Gustavo Hamer received the prize in 2024/25, as Sheffield United narrowly missed out on promotion. It adopted a marketing campaign through which he’d been the Blades’ finest participant in a Premier League relegation marketing campaign.
Regardless of switch rumours, he remained at Bramall Lane, as Sheffield United struggled within the decrease reaches of the Championship final season. Regardless of that, he nonetheless led the league for assists (12).