Josh Sargent, Gustavo Hamer & seven Championship stars set for summer Premier League transfers

The last three seasons have been gloriously agonising for Gustavo Hamer. He was the star player of a Coventry City side featuring the much sought-after Viktor Gyokeres when they were beaten on penalties by Luton Town in the 2022-23 play-off final. Nevertheless, he earned a move to Sheffield United, who had secured automatic promotion, only for them to finish bottom of the 2023-24 Premier League by a considerable distance. The Blades accrued 90 points this term but could only finish third, and despite being heavy favourites to win the play-offs, they were agonisingly beaten in the final by Sunderland in second-half stoppage time.

For Hamer, the reigning Championship Player of the Year, he shouldn’t feel consigned to another season in the second tier. He’s proven again and again he has quality beyond this division, and should be able to find a Premier League buyer this summer. A midfielder with his sort of final-third production won't hang around in the second tier again, and he has already been heavily linked with Everton and Leeds.

Coventry were a different beast after Frank Lampard took over from club legend Mark Robins in November 2024, going from relegation candidates to the play-offs. The ex-Chelsea boss claimed that one of his remits was to get more out of a talented but underperforming squad, and he squeezed every last bit of juice out of Jack Rudoni.

An attacking midfielder who can play deeper much like Lampard in his former playing days, Rudoni came in clutch during the final few weeks of the Sky Blues' season, most notably scoring both goals in their 2-0 win against Middlesbrough on the final day to secure their place in the top six. That ensured he finished the year with nine goals and 12 assists in the Championship alone, while he was also on target during their play-off defeat to Sunderland.

"Rudi has been amazing," Lampard has said of the 23-year-old. "He's so engaging, he wants to train, he wants to ask questions. He's an absolute dream to work with, and I was delighted that he was the main man."

Given Coventry only signed Rudoni from Huddersfield Town last summer, they will probably want to keep him for at least one more season, but they'd be remiss to overlook an offer from any of the big boys.

United States star Josh Sargent wasn't quite ready to take the Premier League by storm when he touched down at Norwich City in 2021, with the Canaries sent straight back to the Championship. Since then, the American has spread his wings and grown into one of the second division's most reliable scorers, hitting double figures in each of the last three years and being voted into the Team of the Season, while also taking home the Canaries' in-club Player of the Year award too.

"I think when I first got here it was a difficult situation, you know I was playing out on the right wing and I'm never going to say no to playing that position in the Prem," Sargent said. "I think I was also young and not as developed as I am now. Still obviously have a long way to go but for sure I think I'm a different player now compared to when I first came here."

Amid speculation that Sargent could leave, Norwich have been urged to give him the captaincy and pull out all the stops to make him feel like it's worth his while remaining at Carrow Road. Good luck to them with that...

Sargent was actually outscored by fellow Norwich attacker Borja Sainz across the season, with the Spaniard ousting him 18 goals to 16. Still only 24, the winger is expected to be the subject of transfer interest from above too. At least that's according to Sainz's barber, who has wished his client the best of luck in whatever he does next.

There have been question marks over Sainz's attitude after he received a six-match ban for spitting at an opponent in January, but his ability and output could be enough alone for suitors to look past that in negotiations with Norwich.

Over the last three seasons, there haven't been many Championship players better than Hayden Hackney, and he may very well be the outright best midfielder in the division since he broke into the first XI in 2022-23. He is perfectly suited to sitting at the base of Michael Carrick's midfield and spreading play while also winning possession back.

At 22, Hackney has captained Boro several times already, leaving Carrick impressed with his maturity even while he has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham: "I like the fact that he's not really changed with it either. I made him captain in certain games because of how he plays, how he is, how he takes responsibility. He's got a real good presence about him and a calmness that rubs off on others. I think you can see how much all the boys trust him, and it’s a good thing to have at such a young age."

Not least because Hackney plays a similar role to that Carrick once did, the feeling is mutual, with the England Under-21 international recently commenting" "I've learned loads from him. A lot of things you wouldn’t even think are big, but when you're in a game, it helps you so much. It's been perfect for me really, given he was a midfielder. The little pointers and tips."

You know a team's had a bad season when their goalkeeper wins their Player of the Year award. We're looking at you, Stoke City.

Viktor Johansson, or 'Super Johansson' as the bet365 Stadium terraces know him, was a revelation after rocking up in the Potteries from Rotherham United last summer, parting the Millers as a local hero after buying 600 pints of beer for supporters at his last game. Stoke finished only two points clear of the relegation zone, and it's not hyperbolic to say Johansson was the difference between them staying in the Championship and starting 2025-26 in League One.

At international level, Johansson is Sweden's No.1, an integral part of a side also featuring Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, Dejan Kulusevski and Anthony Elanga. He could do with a step-up at club level to match that status.

There aren't many players in the Championship currently in their prime that can boast Champions League experience. Japhet Tanganga is one of a select few who have that under their belt.

The versatile defender left Tottenham for good last summer to sign for Milwall on a permanent deal having impressed during a six-month loan there in the second half of 2023-24. In his first full season at The Den, he announced himself as one of the division's best ball-winners and was named as the club's Player of the Year. Maybe consistent game time was all Tanganga needed to show his worth to the world, and maybe now he's ready to make the step up back to Premier League action.