All 24 EFL League One clubs ranked by how valuable their squads are | OneFootball

It has been an exciting season in League One so far with plenty of surprises, and we ranked all 24 third tier clubs by the value of their squads.

As we approach the halfway point of the season, it is shaping up to be one of the most competitive League One campaigns for a long time.

Many of the promotion favourites can be found at the top of the table, including the likes of Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers and Stockport County, but a number of unexpected contenders have also emerged after strong starts, such as Stevenage, Bradford City and Lincoln City.

At the other end, it has been a disappointing season so far for Port Vale, Exeter City and Doncaster Rovers, while Plymouth Argyle, Peterborough United, Blackpool and Reading have all underachieved significantly in the early stages of the campaign.

It is fair to say that there have been a few surprises in the third tier this season, with some teams either hugely overperforming or underperforming in relation to the strength of their squad, which has made for an incredibly exciting division.

With that in mind, using figures from Transfermarkt that have been converted from euros to pounds, we ranked all 24 League One clubs by how valuable their squads are.

Despite winning promotion from League Two last season, AFC Wimbledon lost two of their key players in the summer in James Tilley and Josh Neufville, but manager Johnnie Jackson used his limited budget wisely to bring in some shrewd additions.

The Dons were widely tipped for relegation at the start of the campaign, but they have been one of the surprise packages in League One so far, and while they may find it tough to maintain their promotion push, they should comfortably avoid the drop.

23 ? ? Northampton Town - £4.6 million

Northampton Town are another club who have managed to defy the odds to establish themselves back in League One, and after securing survival last season under Kevin Nolan, they are now in their third consecutive year in the division.

The Cobblers' summer business was made up almost entirely of loans and free transfers, but Nolan seems to have landed some bargain signings, and his side have proven this season that, on their day, they can be more than a match for any side in the third tier.

22 ? ? Bradford City - £5.3 million

Bradford City finally won promotion back to League One last season after a six-year absence, but despite being away from the division for so long, they have certainly not looked out of place on their return.

The Bantams' summer transfer activity was solid rather than spectacular as they brought in a number of experienced third tier performers, but it has undoubtedly paid off, with Graham Alexander's side spending much of this season so far in and around the top six.

Doncaster Rovers achieved promotion from League Two last season alongside Bradford, but it is fair to say the two clubs have experienced contrasting fortunes in League One this campaign.

Like the Bantams, Grant McCann's men were among the early front-runners, but they have slid down the table dramatically in recent months, and their January transfer business could be crucial to their chances of avoiding relegation.

20 ? ? Mansfield Town - £5.9 million

After a strong start to last season, it was a disappointing second half of the campaign for Mansfield Town, but they successfully managed to steer clear of relegation in their first year back in League One.

Long-serving manager Nigel Clough has transformed the Stags since taking over at the One Call Stadium five years ago, and after refreshing his squad in the summer, his side look set to improve on their 17th-placed finish from last season.

Despite being frequently tipped for relegation at the start of the season, Exeter City have managed to avoid the drop for the last three years under Gary Caldwell, and they will be looking to repeat the feat again this campaign.

Caldwell has a solid core of experienced League One players at his disposal as he looks to navigate another survival battle this season, and having made strong use of the loan market this summer, his side may just have enough to remain above the dotted line.

18 ? ? Burton Albion - £6.7 million

Burton Albion are another club who have become accustomed to League One survival battles over the years, and they produced arguably their greatest escape act last season as Gary Bowyer somehow managed to save them from a seemingly impossible position after taking over in December.

The Brewers underwent a big makeover this summer as the club overhauled their brand identity, and it seems the mentality of the squad has also been transformed, with Bowyer's men looking set to stay clear of any relegation danger this time around.

17 ? ? Lincoln City - £6.7 million

Lincoln City are a club who have been steadily improving under Michael Skubala in recent years, and after recording a top-half finish last season, they will be hoping to kick on and maintain their promotion push this campaign.

Despite losing star trio Ethan Erhahon, Ethan Hamilton and Jovon Makama in the summer, the Imps have actually improved this season, with a mix of experienced permanent signings and exciting loan additions strengthening Skubala's squad.

16 ? ? Stevenage - £7.2 million

Stevenage secured a respectable 14th-placed finish in League One last season, and they had one of the best defences in the division, so it was always possible that they could climb the table if they added more firepower to their attack.

With the likes of Chem Campbell, Phoenix Patterson, Beryly Lubala and Gassan Ahadme arriving in the summer to bolster Boro's forward line, Alex Revell's men have arguably been the standout team in the league this season, and there is a growing belief at the Lamex Stadium that promotion to the Championship could be a real possibility.

Barnsley are now in their fourth consecutive season in League One after being relegated from the Championship in 2022, and after a disappointing mid-table finish last term, they will be looking to mount a more consistent play-off challenge this time around.

The Tykes were working on a reduced budget this summer, but head coach Conor Hourihane has still made some shrewd signings, including forward pair David McGoldrick and Reyes Cleary, and the South Yorkshire outfit may have an outside chance of finishing in the top six.