Exclusive: Sky pundit throws weight behind Jay Stansfield, Premier League theory - Birmingham City ace is "the only one" | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie looks at the current crop of Championship strikers and discusses who could make the step up to the Premier League.

There are often inconsistencies for players making the jump from the Championship to the Premier League.

With sides adapting their style of play to a higher level, individuals aren't able to shine as they did in the second tier. This is especially true for strikers, whose goal-scoring responsibilities place them in the limelight far more. Players like Liam Delap, who is pictured below.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has given his thoughts on the current crop of Championship marksmen - discussing who he believes can make the step-up.

Lee Hendrie drops claim on Premier League step up for EFL strikers

"I think that this is a really difficult question. It is a big call," Hendrie told FLW, when asked to name three strikers who belong in the Premier League.

"I wouldn't want to put my head on the block and say the likes of Brandon Thomas-Asante, who has done well this season, and not so well in previous seasons, is destined for the Premier League," he added.

The Coventry City forward is the Championship's top goalscorer thus far with 10, while his two prior seasons yielded four and 11 goals respectively.

"If I had to pick one, I would probably go for Jay Stansfield," said Hendrie.

The Birmingham City forward has scored eight times in the league this season, after netting 12 times as the Blues were relegated to League One in 2024. Hendrie believes that Stansfield has variety in his game that could make him suited for the top flight.

"He has got England under-21 credentials. He can play just off the front and as a centre forward. For me, I think that he would probably be the only one."

When looking at the gap between the divisions, Hendrie admitted that it is an incredibly difficult subject to analyse, saying: "I think that it is a really difficult question.

"A lot of the players who are playing in the Championship at this current time have played in the Premier League and not succeeded, which is why they are playing in the Championship."

Concluding, he backed up his decision: "If I had to pick one, even at a massive push, it would be Jay Stansfield. He has bags of energy, and works the front line really well."

Jay Stansfield has variety in his game - but the gap is big

The Birmingham man has come under a lot of criticism since his £15 million move from Fulham last summer. No matter how it is dressed up, public opinion will always demand sky-high levels when figures that high are being paid by a League One side.

However, Stansfield would score 19 goals as the Blues took League One by storm, achieving a record points total of 111 in the process.

The youngster is incredibly versatile and has mainly been used as a supporting striker under Chris Davies this term, with Marvin Ducksch leading the line further forward.

With 11 in total, Stansfield sits fourth in the goals and assists rankings, behind Thomas-Asante, Anis Mehmeti and Sorba Thomas.

His eye for goal has been on show since he made the loan switch to Birmingham in 2023, but it is his overall energy and awareness that make him capable of operating in multiple roles across the front line.

This versatility is something that can prove invaluable when adapting to the Premier League - somewhere that the Blues envisage themselves reaching in the not-too-distant future.

Sunderland's Wilson Isidor has been settling nicely into top-flight life, with four goals for the Black Cats, with the Frenchman himself being a more versatile forward, rather than an out-and-out marksman.

The same can be said for more historical examples, with more versatile and active forwards such as Dominic Solanke and Liam Delap adapting their game to the top flight seamlessly.

There are outliers such as Ivan Toney and Aleksandar Mitrovic, who are more old-school centre-forwards, who went on to become big-name players in the top flight.

Even so, the gap is still sizeable, and the ability to adapt and offer versatility is huge when your side is likely to be battling towards the lower end of the standings.