Exclusive: Lee Hendrie names 3 EFL Championship players most likely to attract Premier League interest this January | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has named the 3 EFL Championship players most likely to attract Premier League interest this January

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has shared the three players currently in the EFL Championship that may attract Premier League interest this January, including players from Ipswich Town, Coventry City, and Leicester City.

Now just under a third of the way into the 2025/26 EFL Championship campaign, the league table is beginning to take shape, and some may even dare to hazard some guesses as to where teams could finish, if they are brave enough.

Coventry City top the table after 15 matches, having scored an outrageous 40 goals already, and having lost only once, with Frank Lampard's Sky Blues emerging as the early favourites to secure promotion to the top flight.

Managerless Middlesbrough trails in 2nd place, whilst Stoke City, Preston North End, Hull City, and Millwall round out the play-off places.

At the other end of the table, the surprises don't stop there.

Whilst many had expected Sheffield Wednesday to struggle due to their off-field issues, not many had predicted city rivals Sheffield United to sit just two places above in 22nd, having scored the least amount of goals in the league with 11 and having already re-appointed Chris Wilder, who they sacked during the summer.

Norwich City round out the relegation places in 23rd, with the Canaries failing to pick a single point up at home so far this season, with Liam Manning having been removed from his post after just 15 games, who is now one of the statistically worst Norwich managers in their history.

Some players have shone, others have floundered, and with the January window right around the corner, those who have shone are almost certain to be attracting interest from the top flight, as clubs dreaming of promotion will be doing everything they can to keep a hold of their prized assets this winter window.

Jaden Philogene, Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Abdul Fatawu named as players most likely to attract Premier League interest

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky pundit Lee Hendrie has provided his view as to the three players in the Championship right now who are most likely to attract interest from Premier League clubs this January.

Hendrie said, "Looking at the Championship and players who might get attraction from the Premier League, I think it's difficult.

"I don't think the Championship has been as strong as yet, and I think the players that have stood out, for me, are the likes of Jaden Philogene, who has stepped up and has obviously had a taste of Premier League football, and obviously leaving Villa and going to Ipswich, and then the relegation.

"And then you look at strikers, the likes of Thomas-Asante at Coventry. He's been involved in goals a lot this season, and still only 26, you know, could he go and take a step up to the Premier League? Would it be something that might be a possibility?

"You know, as I say, I think that it is going to be wide players that are probably going to be the ones that make that step-up, or players that have made the step-down.

"The likes of Fatawu at Leicester. There were links; he's very young, and he probably fits the bill for most Premier League clubs with bags of potential. So you would have to say that he is certainly one that you would add to that equation because of the way he is, and the sort of style of player that he is.

"Another one, Jeremy Monga at Leicester. Young, talented individual who has got himself in the first team at such a young age, you know?

"These are the sort of players that might attract Premier League clubs to maybe have a go at."

Ipswich Town, Coventry City, and Leicester City must prepare to face a battle with Premier League clubs this January over their star players

Each of Ipswich, Coventry, and Leicester will hold real ambitions of promotion this season.

In Ipswich's and Leicester's case, they were both playing Premier League football as early as this year, so automatically will have entered the division with stronger squads than most others. However, it hasn't exactly panned out that way as yet.

The Tractor Boys sit just outside the play-off places at this stage in 7th, but do have a game in hand on the surrounding teams, after their tie against Blackburn Rovers was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Under Kieran McKenna, Ipswich maintain one of the strongest squads in the league, and the general consensus is that they will not remain outside the top six for much longer, and certainly not come the end of the season.

Leicester have yet to really get going under former Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes, with the Foxes sitting slap bang in the middle of the table in 12th, but like Ipswich, the feeling surrounding the club is that, as soon as things click, they will catapult right up the table.

Coventry appears to be in real danger of running away with the league.

Having defeated then-2nd-place Stoke 1-0 just before the international break, in what was a statement win, the Sky Blues look destined for Premier League football once more under former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard.

For these promotion ambitions to sustain, it is imperative that these sides keep their star players to alleviate any risk of their season becoming derailed.

With the Championship looking as wide open as ever, almost every side will fancy their chances at a shot at promotion, but to stand the best chance, they must simply do everything they can to wave away Premier League interest this January.