Six sparkling Championship stars primed for January transfer include West Brom, Sheff Utd quartet

Lewis Oldham
Championship transfer
Josh Maja, Ollie Arblaster and David Ozoh could be on the move in January.

Sheffield United and West Brom could lose their best players in January as these six in-form Championship stars are primed for a winter window transfer.

 

Ollie Arblaster (Sheffield United)
My doubts about Chris Wilder’s managerial credentials
have swiftly evaporated at the start of this campaign as unbeaten Sheff Utd look a serious automatic promotion contender.

An impressive flurry of transfer business in the final month of the window set up United’s strong start to the season, but academy product Arblaster has perhaps been their greatest success story.

The England U20 international made his breakthrough last season as a much-needed ray of sunshine in a sea of misery for the Blades. Their inevitable relegation from the Premier League has allowed the talented midfielder to stand out in the league below.

Sheff Utd managed to keep their prize asset in the summer despite reported interest from newly-promoted Ipswich Town, but Arblaster’s immense start to the campaign – which earns him a spot in the Championship team of the season so far – means their resolve may be tested further in January.

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Tom Fellows (West Brom)
Considering how underwhelming their business was in the summer, it’s remarkable that West Brom currently find themselves top of the Championship after six matches.

As Carlos Corberan previously showed at Huddersfield Town, the well-respected coach can work wonders with a limited budget and he’s doing that with the Baggies, who are upsetting the odds as the Championship’s table-toppers.

Corberan has largely relied on players he had last season and 21-year-old winger Fellows has made a sensational start, grabbing four assists in six matches.

Baggies supporters need to enjoy Corberan while he’s around as he could foreseeably be plucked away by a Premier League club this season. This also goes for one or two of the 41-year-old’s star performers and Fellows certainly fits that mould.

 

Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United)
The Blades did pretty well to keep Hamer in the summer after he grabbed ten goal involvements in the Premier League last season and his retention was a major pre-season boost to their promotion hopes.

Wilder’s side did have to shoo away potential suitors as Leeds United cheekily joined Premier League sides in pursuing the Dutchman. But their loss has been Sheff Utd’s gain as the renowned Championship specialist should really be playing at a higher level.

Hamer remained loyal to Sheff Utd following their relegation and he’s yet to show signs of the constant transfer speculation affecting him as he’s made a fine start to the season.

Sheff Utd quickly put together one of the best squads in the Championship in the final weeks of the summer window and Hamer’s continued presence is a significant reason for them being held in such high esteem. But interest in the attacking midfielder is certain to ramp up again ahead of January, so the South Yorkshire outfit have another fight on their hands.

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Josh Maja (West Brom)
Maja is the top scorer in the Championship (yes, you read that currently) after six games as he’s on for a Chuba Akpom-esque season after emerging from injury-enforced obscurity.

The 25-year-old previously showed with Sunderland and Bordeaux that he can be a clinical goalscorer and head coach Corberan has helped him return to his best for the shock Championship leaders.

Another inclusion in our Championship team of the season so far, Maja has been a player reborn at the start of this campaign and if he can maintain his current scoring form, a Premier League return (perhaps even as soon as in January) with or without West Brom will be coming his way.

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David Ozoh (Derby County)
Crystal Palace have an abundance of exciting young talents
and Ozoh is one of the latest to pass through their prospering conveyor belt.

The 19-year-old became Crystal Palace’s youngest-ever Premier League debutant at the start of 2023 and his stellar start on loan at Derby County suggests a regular starting berth at his boyhood club will soon be his.

Derby pulled off a coup when they landed Ozoh in the summer and he’s earned rave reviews as Paul Warne’s unfancied side have been a surprise package in the Championship.

An issue for Warne and Derby is that Ozoh’s form may see Palace recall him before loaning him to a Championship promotion contender in January for another challenge before his likely Premier League breakthrough next season.

 

Duncan Watmore (Millwall)
The Championship has largely become a young man’s game in recent years, but there is still room for the odd veteran to roll back the years and 30-year-old Watmore is on for his best season at his level.

The former Sunderland and Middlesbrough star has already surpassed his goal tally in both of his last two seasons as he’s second in the race for the Golden Boot, already netting five times this term.

Doubts surrounding the long-term future of manager Neil Harris remain with Millwall 18th in the Championship; Watmore could soon look for new pastures and his unexpected scoring form sets him up to seal one last big move before he winds down before retirement.