Championship XI of season so far includes three Sunderland standouts but no Leeds United stars

Leeds United are top of the Championship, but none of their players are in the team of the season so far, which includes three Sunderland standouts…

This is based on WhoScored’s player rating system, so cut us some slack, yeah? The same goes for our Premier League team of the season.

As for the non-Football League snobs, here’s the 2024/25 best Championship XI so far…

GK: Viktor Johansson (Stoke City)
After having the pleasure of watching Johansson carry Rotherham United on his back for two seasons in the Championship, I always knew the Stoke City newbie would be one of the league’s best summer signings.

This has quickly proved to be the case. The imperious Sweden international has been kept busy this campaign as Stoke languish around the relegation places. Their bottom-half curse won’t be ended this season.

RB: Trai Hume (Sunderland)
Considering Burnley have only conceded nine (yes, NINE!) goals in their 29 Championship matches, it’s surprising there aren’t any of Scott Parker’s defenders in this team.

Sunderland have left their lofty early-season defensive standards slip in recent months, but academy product Hume (with the rating boost of four goal involvements) still makes the cut. 

READ: Ranking Championship top six on how likely they are to sink in Premier League

CB: Jimmy Dunne (QPR)
Marti Cifuentes’ spell at QPR has been a rollercoaster. The raised optimism after last season’s great escape subsided as their relegation fears returned amid their woeful start to this campaign, but they have hit their stride of late to move clear of the bottom three. They are now looking up rather than down and Dunne’s superb form is a large reason for that.

The 27-year-old – who has also been regularly used at right-back – has comfortably been QPR’s best player this season and a few Championship clubs will be on his radar in the coming months as he enters the six months of his contract.

CB: Luke McNally (Bristol City)
There aren’t any Burnley defenders in this team, but former Clarets centre-back McNally is ahead of his former teammates.

Liam Manning’s side have emerged as dark horses for the play-offs and the three-man partnership of McNally, Rob Dickie and Zak Vyner is proving vital.

LB: Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland)
Sunderland starlet No.2, Cirkin is enjoying a breakout season for the shock automatic promotion contenders as the 22-year-old is blossoming into one of the best full-backs in the Championship.

Cirkin has already passed 100 senior appearances for the Black Cats since joining from Tottenham Hotspur, who would probably still love to have the talented youngster to ease their severe defensive issues.

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CM: Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday)
Football fans should never fall in love with a loanee and the Owls risked having their hearts broken earlier this window as Southampton starlet Charles looked likely to join arch-rivals Sheffield United.

Thankfully for Sheff Weds, this devastating development did not go through and in a major boost to their play-off hopes, Charles is set to remain with the South Yorkshire side for the remainder of this season.

CM: Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland)
Like his brother, Bellingham began this season in a deeper position than the 2023/24 campaign, though he’s benefited from this change more than the Real Madrid standout, who has since had his role changed.

The 19-year-old is developing nicely and is already being linked with moves to the Premier League and Europe as he looks to follow in Jude’s footsteps. He’ll definitely be on the move if Sunderland miss out on promotion.

RW: Romain Esse (Millwall)
Esse instantly became one of our favourite footballers when he got too giddy and overly celebrated scoring a consolation on debut in Crystal Palace’s 2-1 loss to Brentford on Sunday.

The 19-year-old features in our 20 biggest 2025 January transfer list after becoming Millwall’s record sale for around £12m. Palace looks to have got another young gem from the Football League on their hands.

READ: Southampton next? The Premier League’s six worst-ever teams…

CAM: Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough)
Azaz emerged as a standout contender for the Championship Player of the Season at the end of 2024 as he enjoyed a remarkable purple patch.

The attacking midfielder was the form player in the league, grabbing eight goals and seven assists in 12 matches. Silly numbers from the Republic of Ireland international, whose stats have levelled out amid his ongoing rut with zero goal involvements in six Championship matches.

LW: Borja Sainz (Norwich City)
Since backing Norwich to establish themselves in the top six, Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side went on a dire run, but their recent upturn in form suggests they could salvage something from this season.

Norwich have been pretty inconsistent, but Championship top scorer Sainz has hardly stepped off the gas as the league’s standout performer with 15 goals and three assists. He’s become their new main man following the damaging summer exits of Jonathan Rowe and Gabriel Sara.

ST: Josh Maja (West Brom)
Maja began the 2024/25 season with seven goals in seven matches before Norwich sensation Sainz overtook him in the top scorer charts.

The former Sunderland and Fulham star’s goalscoring has been more sporadic in recent months as he’s been less impactful without former head coach Carlos Corberan.

His recent brace in the 3-1 home win against Preston ended his eight-game goal drought, but he’s out of action for several weeks with a leg injury.