There may be no Anderson Talisca at Wolves or Rafa Van Der Vaart at Reading, but this season’s Championship will be better than ever after these five arrived.
The Championship is a different place these days. Whether it’s Wolves bidding £21 million for Brazilian prodigies or ill-advised Tweets from well-meaning yet slightly disquieting new chairmen, the self-styled fourth biggest league in Europe is certainly living up to the billing.
Yet, despite the loose dollars tumbling down from the TV-funded top tiers, there are still bargains to be had. Take note Premier League (*ahem, David Luiz).
From stylish Australian internationals to prolific lower league net-botherers, these five bargain buys guarantee quality and all for the price of a single Dwight Gayle.
Aaron Mooy – Huddersfield – Loan
We could easily run through the whole ‘isn’t football evil’ spiel. After all, without Manchester City’s ownership and money-spinning collaboration with Melbourne Victory, Australian international Aaron Mooy wouldn’t be spending the current season on loan at the John Smith’s Stadium. But try find a Huddersfield Town fan with commercial expropriation on their mind as the Australian international weaves with grace and purpose through Championship midfields.
David Wagner’s Terriers have spent astutely this summer; highly-rated Liverpool ‘keeper Danny Ward, Chelsea prodigy Kasey Palmer and German import Elias Kachunga helping the unfancied Yorkshire side to the top of the Championship. However, the arrival of 25-year-old Mooy may well be the best of the lot. Superb in Huddersfield’s famous win at title favourites Newcastle, the former Bolton youngster has already shown glimpses of the quality that helped him dominate England’s ‘overpaid ponces’ (yes, ponces) in a pre-Euro friendly at the Stadium of Light.
Alex Pritchard – Norwich City – £7 million
Norwich’s relegation from the Premier League last season was as frustrating as it was predictable. For all their fancy-footed build up play, Alex Neil’s side’s general inability to put that round bit of leather into that big square bag on sticks proved a rather debilitating problem. Norwich scored just 39 goals in the top tier last season, more only than relegated Aston Villa and Tony Pulis’ West Brom.
The arrival of Alex Pritchard from Tottenham, therefore, should go some way to remedying the ailment. Whether a winger of an attacking midfielder, the England under-21 international possesses the creativity and goal threat Norwich need to further enhance their yo-yo status with yet another Premier League return at the first time of asking. If Pritchard can replicate the 12 goals he scored on loan at Brentford two seasons, the Canaries should warble their way back to the top flight.
Mile Jedinak – Aston Villa – £3 million
It’s not easy to specify the single biggest problem faced by Aston Villa last season. Baffling managerial appointments, an uninterested owner, and a complete lack of reinvestment into a stagnant squad are somewhere near the top of the list, but the dearth of leaders at Villa Park meant the club’s first relegation since 1987 was as inevitable as a Tim Sherwood double negative.
From Jolean ‘weight off the shoulders’ Lescott to local lad turned village idiot Gabby Agbonlahor, Roberto Di Matteo has quickly and cleverly dispensed with the figureheads of the old regime and replaced them with proven, experienced professionals. And Mile Jedinak is exactly that. Securing promotion with Crystal Palace in 2013, the Australian midfielder still has plenty to offer despite falling down the pecking order at Selhurst Park. Passionate and consistent, Jedinak is everything Villa need.
Glenn Murray – Brighton – Loan
They say the Championship is the most unpredictable league in Europe. But that’s not to say there aren’t a few stonewall guarantees for you to put the odd quid on this season. For example, Massimo Cellino will have his bi-monthly wig out, Nigel Pearson will compare unsuspecting reporters to a giant flightless fowl, and Glenn Murray will score goals. Lots of them.
30 goals in 42 appearances helped Crystal Palace to promotion in 2013 and, although he struggled to cut the mustard in the Premier League with the Eagles or Bournemouth, Murray remains as hot as ever in the second tier. Three in five for new club Brighton suggests he could add accuracy to the ammunition provided by Anthony Knockaert and Jiri Skalak. Don’t bet against last season’s third placed side going one, or perhaps two, steps further this time.
Romaine Sawyers – Brentford – Free
OK, the whole Moneyball thing wasn’t the game-changing revolution Brentford owner Matthew Benham had desperately hoped it would be. But Bees have still spent their summer months making a number of very astute signings. Centre-half John Egan and goalkeeper Daniel Bentley have both arrived from Gillingham and Southend after outgrowing the third tier but, by signing Walsall talisman Romaine Sawyers on a free, Brentford may have just landed the window’s most inspired coup.
Narrowly beaten by the Gills’ Bradley Dack to the League One Player of the Year award, former West Brom youngster Sawyers enjoyed the most productive season of his career in 2015/16, inspiring Walsall to third place in League One. With guile, vision and a thunderbolt strike, Sawyers will reunite with former Saddlers boss Dean Smith at Griffin Park with more than mid-table on their mind.
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