The Championship is the perfect breeding ground for clubs to sign players at a relatively modest price and develop them before selling for a vast fortune to teams in the Premier League looking to strengthen.
Previously, only those lingering at the bottom of the top flight would poach players who had shone in the league below.
As time has passed, especially due to the finances involved in the English game, better players have moved to the second tier. This means clubs in the upper echelons have begun to take notice and spend big money to sign Championship players.
These types of moves have increased exponentially in recent years. With this in mind, we have explored the top 15 record sales by Championship clubs over the years.
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ByCharlie SmithSep 5, 2025 11 Ryan Sessegnon Fulham to Tottenham (£30m)
Ryan Sessegnon made his debut for Fulham aged just 16 years and 81 days back in August 2016. Three years and 120 appearances later, Spurs earmarked the youngster as the next big thing.
A fee in the region of £25m was paid by Spurs to bring the Englishman to north London, which totalled £30m with add-ons. On the surface, it looked like it could be a wise investment, but Sessegnon failed to sparkle for the club, scoring just three goals during his spell there.
10 James Ward-Prowse Southampton to West Ham (£30m)
James Ward-Prowse demonstrated his dead-ball skills throughout his Southampton career, and during their relegation campaign in the 2022/23 season, he scored four direct free kicks along with three penalties, and his availability alerted West Ham United.
David Moyes was keen on signing the Championship star, and £30m was enough for Southampton to let him go.
However, it didn’t quite work out for the midfielder at the London Stadium, and he has spent the current season on loan at Nottingham Forest, trying to regain the confidence that was on display at St Mary’s.
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ByLewis ThompsonJun 15, 2024 9 Archie Gray Leeds to Tottenham (£30m)
Archie Gray was among one of the most promising players in the Championship last season. The 18-year-old missed just two league matches as Leeds United reached the play-offs.
His performances convinced Ange Postecoglou to spend £30m on the youngster, who has a bright future ahead of him.
The Englishman has already featured plenty for Spurs this term, filling in across the backline due to several injury problems in the squad. Keep improving, and the initial £30m could turn into a bargain.
8 Jude Bellingham Birmingham to Borussia Dortmund (£30m)
Of everyone on this list, Jude Bellingham has had the best career, yet he is still only 21. He emerged as an extraordinary talent during his spell at Birmingham City, despite making just 44 appearances for the club.
His potential alerted Borussia Dortmund, who reportedly spent over £30m on the midfielder including add-ons in 2020 – and the move worked out fairly well. After three seasons in Germany, Real Madrid came calling and Bellingham can now count himself as one of the finest players in the world.
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ByLuke RandallFeb 29, 2024 7 Ollie Watkins Brentford to Aston Villa (£33m)
Ollie Watkins’ journey from non-league to the Premier League has been well-documented, especially after he scored the winner for England against the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
His spell at Brentford produced 49 goals across 143 matches in the Championship, which led Aston Villa to splash out a club-record fee of up to £33m to bring him to the Midlands.
Fast-forward five years, and the Englishman has scored 80 goals for the club, proving he has been an excellent signing.
6 Harvey Barnes Leicester to Newcastle (£38m)
The Magpies raided the relegated clubs in the summer of 2023, with Leicester City among their targets. They signed Harvey Barnes for £38m – a staggering amount for a Championship player.
The left-winger has already notched up 10 goals for the Toon since arriving 18 months ago. This number would likely have been higher had injury issues not played their part.