Exclusive: Lee Hendrie predicts the 3 EFL Championship stars who could be sold on for big money | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie spoke exclusively with Football League World to predict the next three big money sales from the Championship

The Championship has developed a growing reputation as a division capable of producing future world stars, many of whom end up departing for other sums, and the second-tier's conveyor belt is continuing to operate in rich vein from the early evidence of the 2025/26 campaign's opening stages.

In years gone by, the likes of Jude Bellingham, Jarrod Bowen, Ebere Eze, James Maddison, Michael Olise, Joao Pedro and Ollie Watkins represent just a small handful of the Championship alumni who have lit up the division before graduating to top-flight stardom and beyond.

With that, of course, comes the opportunity for clubs to balance the books and receive much-welcomed cash windfalls through significant sales — though not in the case of Reading with Olise's meager £8 million exit to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021.

Nonetheless, there are a number of highly-promising talents currently making their mark in the second-tier and being tipped for big-money moves and glittering careers.

Indeed, of that there is no shortage, and speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie selected three players in particular who he believes will be sold on for sizable sums in the future.

Lee Hendrie tips QPR's Richard Kone and Leicester City pair Abdul Fatawu & Jeremy Monga for big-money moves

Hendrie ultimately decided to go for QPR's new talisman, Richard Kone, along with Leicester City duo Abdul Fatawu and Jeremy Monga.

Kone, who joined QPR in an initial £2.75 million deal from League One side Wycombe Wanderers in the summer, has enjoyed a strong start to life in the Championship and notably scored three goals in as many games against Coventry City, Charlton Athletic and Wrexham.

Fatawu, meanwhile, is entering his third season at the King Power Stadium, where he has long been tipped to depart, but the Ghanaian winger has continued to star for the Foxes after missing almost the entirety of the previous campaign through injury.

Should Fatawu move on, however, Leicester will be able to call upon 16-year-old prodigy Monga, who was linked to the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid before penning a scholarship contract due to his age back in June.

The young winger, tipped by many to become a world-beater in the years to come, has shown flashes of remarkable talent thus far, primarily from the bench, and will be hoping to enjoy a more central role under Marti Cifuentes as the season toils on.

"I really like Richard Kone at QPR," Hendrie explained to FLW.

Kone image credit - Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

"I know they only spent like £3 million on him. He's 22 and had a great season which got him his move to QPR from Wycombe, 21 goals. He was outstanding that season.

"I still think he's got a lot to learn, he's got off to a flyer in the Championship in this QPR side. I just feel when strikers are like that and they can take that step up and are still learning, he might be one that could go for decent money at some stage, being 22 and being a goalscorer.

"The other one, I'm a big fan of Abdul Fatawu at Leicester. I think he's got so much potential.

"21 years of age, can play on the left or right side, obviously has goals in his locker as a wide player, which is absolutely massive these days with the way formations and systems play.

"He could end up going for a decent whack, I know he's had his links away.

"The other one would be at Leicester again, I think he's got bags of potential, 16 years of age — Jeremy Monga. We've seen glimpses of what he's all about, so young and so much talent."

A number of EFL Championship players could earn future big-money moves amid Lee Hendrie claim

There are, of course, more than three players who you would back to earn big money moves to the top-flight further down the line.

Strong arguments could be made for cultured midfielder Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough, X-Factor Ipswich Town winger Jaden Philogene - who has admittedly thrice sealed eight-figure Premier League moves already - West Bromwich Albion's technical dynamo Isaac Price and Southampton pair Shea Charles and Jay Robinson.

Watford's free-kick specialist Nestory Irankunda, who joined the Hornets in a shock deal from Bayern Munich back in July and appears destined for an eventual move away, would represent another viable selection, while cases can also be made in the favours of Millwall striker Mihailo Ivanovic, Sheffield United midfielder Sydie Peck or, on the other side of the Steel City, prodigious shot-stopper Pierce Charles of Sheffield Wednesday.

That said, Kone — and Fatawu and Monga in particular — are perhaps those most likely to earn a high degree of interest and, with it, big money moves, considering just how well they have all started off at QPR and Leicester.