The 12 most expensive Championship signings of the summer ranked | OneFootball

FLW has taken a look and ranked the 12 most expensive signings made by Championship clubs this summer

The transfer window has officially slammed shut, and the 2026/27 Championship campaign is well and truly underway, as Football League World reflects on and ranks the 12 most expensive additions made by clubs in the English second tier this summer.

The Championship season is underway for another year, as teams in the English second tier jostle it out for one of the three elusive places up for grabs in the Premier League next campaign.

With the play-offs system having been revamped, extending the number of teams capable of qualifying for a place in the final at Wembley from four to six, the level of competition will have only increased.

Championship clubs spent roughly shy of a combined £300 million on incomings this summer, going up nearly £100 million from the previous record, as teams in the second tier have spent more than ever preparing their squads for the upcoming year.

With the window shut and the clubs getting stuck into the action, FLW has taken a look at the 12 most expensive signings made by teams in the Championship this summer, ranking them from the least expensive to the most.

12 ? ? Rafiki Said - £7.7 million

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Beginning this list is Comoran forward Rafiki Said, who joined Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer in a deal worth £7.7 million from Belgian side Standard Liege.

Said, 26, spent his entire career playing in France before his move to Belgium in 2025, where he scored eight and assisted four in 37 league games last season.

The Comoros international has yet to make a competitive appearance for Wolves following his summer switch, having suffered an MCL injury in pre-season, and upon his return to fitness, will compete for a place in the final third with the likes of Adam Armstrong, Mateus Mane, Raul Jimenez, and Fer Lopez.

11 ? ? Anthony Patterson - £8 million

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Anthony Patterson joined Wrexham this summer from Premier League outfit Sunderland, with the side from North Wales paying around £8 million to bring the 26-year-old to the Racecourse Ground from Wearside.

Patterson came through the ranks at The Stadium of Light, becoming the Black Cats’ first-choice option between the sticks during the 2022/23 campaign, helping his boyhood club reach the Premier League in 2025, but would ultimately lose his place in the side to Dutch shot-stopper Robin Roefs upon promotion.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall, and now returns to the Championship permanently with Wrexham, replacing Arthur Okonkwo in goal in Phil Parkinson’s side, as Wrexham hope to have their number one sorted for the foreseeable future.

10 ? ? Andre Brooks - £8 million

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Andre Brooks enjoyed a breakthrough year last campaign with Sheffield United, having come through the ranks at Bramall Lane and becoming one of the club's most important players under Chris Wilder.

However, Sheffield United’s financial woes meant they were forced into numerous unwanted sales this summer, including Gustavo Hamer and Callum O’Hare, as Brooks joined Norwich City in a deal worth an initial £8 million, rising to £9 million if the Canaries are promoted to the Premier League.

The 23-year-old Jamaican winger will provide strong competition on the right flank under Philippe Clement, and could be the catalyst in Norwich’s hopes of securing one of those play-off places come May next year.

9 ? ? Lewis Dobbin - £9 million

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Lewis Dobbin, at 23, already has one year of League One experience and two years in the Championship under his belt, having enjoyed loan spells at the likes of Derby County, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich, and, most recently, Preston North End.

He scored 11 and assisted eight in 41 appearances across all competitions during his spell at Deepdale last season, tempting Southampton into parting ways with around £9 million to bring the Everton academy graduate to St Mary’s from Aston Villa this summer.

The English forward has struggled to find form in his opening weeks on the South Coast, though having previously shone in the Championship, there’s no reason to believe this signing won’t pay off in the future.

8 ? ? George Hirst - £10 million (£6 million + £4 million)

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Stoke City had one of the highest net spends of any club in the Championship this summer, spending over £30 million on incomings this summer, though Sorba Thomas' £10.5 million sale to Hull City will have helped balance the books somewhat.

A chunk of that money spent this summer was on Scottish striker George Hirst, with the Potters parting ways with an initial £6 million, with a potential £4 million in add-ons to sign the 27-year-old from Ipswich Town.

Stoke have spent a fortune on strikers over the years, with the likes of Saido Berahino, Sam Vokes, and Benik Afobe costing the club in the region of £30 million alone, as Mark Robins will be hoping Hirst can finally break that trend and become a real star in the Potteries.

7 ? ? Ethan Galbraith - £10 million

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Joining Hirst at the bet365 Stadium is Northern Irish midfielder Ethan Galbraith, who also joins Stoke for a fee in the region of £10 million from Welsh outfit Swansea City.

The 25-year-old balanced his time between right-back and midfield during his sole year in South Wales, but looks to have been moved into a more advanced midfield role by Robins, scoring three in his first five league games for his new side.

He becomes Stoke's most expensive signing since the summer of 2019 after the club's relegation, and those at the club will be hoping he is worth every penny.

6 ? ? Radek Vitek - £14 million (£7 million + £7 million)

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Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek spent the 2025/26 season on loan in the Championship with Bristol City from his parent club, Manchester United, and excelled during his first year in the second tier.

The 22-year-old, according to FotMob, prevented 7.36 goals in the league last campaign during his spell at Ashton Gate, and his performances between the sticks tempted Middlesbrough to spend an initial £7 million, with another £7 million in add-ons to bring him to the Riverside this summer.

He replaces Sol Brynn between the sticks, as Kim Hellberg has chosen not to take any such gamble this season, and will hope Vitek can win games on his own when necessary over the course of the year.

5 ? ? Edvin Austbo - £18 million

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West Ham United's summer window took a while to get up and running, but when it did, the Hammers flexed their financial muscle over the rest of the league, with one of their additions being that of Norwegian winger Edvin Austbo.

Austbo, 21, arrives in East London from Viking for around £18 million, having scored 15 in 71 games across all competitions for the Norwegian outfit, helping them to qualify for the Champions League before his departure.

He will provide competition on the left flank for Manor Solomon and Keiber Lamadrid, as Nuno Espírito Santo looks to fire the Hammers back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

4 ? ? Ashley Phillips - £20 million (£7 million + £13 million)

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Ashley Phillips, despite still being just 21, has been a regular in the Championship for the past three seasons, having already amassed over a century of appearances in the division in spells on loan with Plymouth Argyle and Stoke, the latter he joined twice.

The England youth international, who is also eligible to represent Wales, joined Middlesbrough this summer in a deal worth an initial £7 million, with a potential £13 million more in bonuses and add-ons.

Capable of bringing the ball out of the back line and a colossus of a defender, if Phillips can reach his potential, the £20 million fee Boro may pay for the centre-back will be worth every penny and then some.

3 ? ? Will Lankshear - £20 million (£10 million + £10 million)

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The final inclusion of Middlesbrough's summer spending spree, Will Lankshear made the move to Teesside this summer, like Phillips, from Spurs, costing Hellberg's side an initial £10 million, with £10 million more in add-ons and various incentives.

The 21-year-old enjoyed an exceptional year on loan with Oxford United in the Championship last time around, and with five goals in his opening five games of the year, the Englishman has enjoyed a wonderful start to life at the club.

Boro will be hoping that they have the clinical edge that they were missing last season, and that this time, Lankshear can fire them back to the top flight after nearly a decade away.