Top 10 best EFL League One signings of 2026/27 so far (Ranked) | OneFootball

Which new arrivals have hit the ground running the quickest in League One this season?

The first international break is upon us, and while not every League One side is getting a rest over the coming weeks, it serves as a good stopgap to assess what has been a very busy opening period.

Given the impact of the World Cup and the fact that games were being played for about a month before the transfer window closed, summer business has been even more hectic than usual.

But who in the third tier has settled into their new surroundings the best?

Earlier this week, we looked at which new signings in the Championship have hit the ground running the quickest, and now it's League One's turn. Here are the 10 best summer signings thus far.

10 ? ? Jon McCracken - Dundee FC to Bradford City

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Bradford City had one of the better summer transfer windows, upgrading throughout the squad with top-end third-tier players to ensure last season's fourth-placed finish in their first year back at the level wasn't a fluke.

Arguably, they didn't desperately need a new goalkeeper, with Sam Walker a more than serviceable option for the level, but snapping up Jon McCracken on a free transfer after leaving Dundee FC has been one of the more astute deals in the window thus far.

The 26-year-old made the most saves in the SPL last season and prevented 7.53 goals compared to the expected goals he faced. Bradford are so organised defensively that he likely won't have such drastic numbers this year, but the few times he's been called into action thus far, he's more than delivered.

McCracken has kept five clean sheets in his first seven games this season. He's only needed to make 10 saves, but has done so at a 71.4% rate. Plus, his performances in EFL Cup bouts, where he's been tested even more, are proof he can handle being under pressure, too.

Bradford will hope he doesn't need to face that pressure that often as the campaign continues.

9 ? ? Ben Osborn - Derby County to Stockport County

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Ben Osborn spent last season on loan at Stockport County. It was the 32-year-old's first taste of League One football in a career spent solely in the Premier League and the Championship, and he proved why during his time at Edgeley Park.

With his contract running out at Derby County at the end of the year, it would have been feared that a mixture of Osborn proving he's still at Championship level and a new man in the Stockport dugout could have left the versatile midfielder as one of those loan players you fall in love with for a year, never to return.

But Osborn made his move to the Hatters permanent in the summer, and has, so far, been one of the creative forces in the best attacking side in the division thus far under Jimmy McNulty.

The left wing-back has created the most chances in League One this season and has the highest expected assist tally. Ironically, he's yet to register a goal involvement, but that doesn't detract from what's been a very solid start to permanent life at Edgeley Park.

8 ? ? Jaze Kabia - Grimsby Town to Leyton Orient

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Jaze Kabia has some big shoes to fill at Leyton Orient, coming in to replace reigning League One Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner Dom Ballard.

Richie Wellens has been very good at overseeing the rapid development of his strikers in the past couple of years, though, and the 26-year-old already has five goals in an Orient shirt, four of which have come in seven league games.

What's more impressive thus far, though, is how clinical Kabia has been. He's only taken 11 shots so far in league action, six of which have been on target. That's a two/thirds conversion rate, and if he can keep that up, there may be yet another frontman holding the Golden Boot at Brisbane Road come May.

Not bad for someone who was playing for Truro City in the National League South this time two years ago!

7 ? ? Terence Vancooten - Burton Albion to Stevenage

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There'd have been some real concern at Stevenage this summer as so many key players from their play-off push were poached by clubs with more money to offer.

Commanding centre-back Charlie Goode made the League One Team of the Season last year, and newly promoted MK Dons made him one of their first signings of the summer as his contract with the Boro came to an end.

His replacement, a returning Terence Vancooten following a couple of years at Burton Albion, likely wouldn't have been met with too much excitement, either. The Guyanese international has always had his injury woes, and now he was being tasked with replacing a key part of Alex Revell's side.

But if the last few years have taught anyone anything, it's that Stevenage's success in League One is down to philosophy, rather than any particular standout players, and Vancooten has slotted right back in perfectly.

The 28-year-old's defensive numbers are among the best of any centre-back in the division, sitting in the top 6% in defensive contributions, tackles and recoveries. If he can stay fit for long periods, it'll be like Goode never left.

6 ? ? Ollie Cooper - Swansea City to Notts County (Loan)

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Ollie Cooper endured quite a difficult 2025/26 campaign. The 26-year-old had gone from regular starter to fringe player at Swansea City, and a loan spell at Wigan Athletic proved uneventful.

He was sent back to South Wales in January, but the issue was that he'd already played for his parent club before his time at the Brick Community Stadium, so he sat in the reserves for the rest of the campaign until being re-loaned out to Notts County this summer.

And this spell has proven to be exactly what many felt Cooper's time at Wigan would have been. He's already played more League One minutes in the first month or so than he did last season and has three goals, too.

He's also putting in a shift defensively, leading from the front. He sits in the top 10% of attacking midfielders for recoveries and defensive contributions, and has the most tackles, too.

Cooper's effort has helped Notts County stay in games throughout a tough schedule to begin life back in League One, and if the Magpies are to safely avoid an immediate drop back to League Two, the Welshman will be a big part of that happening.

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Just 12 months ago, Yusuf Akhamrich was a relative unknown in the Tottenham Hotspur academy. In January, he had his first senior loan spell at Bristol Rovers in League Two, and while promising, not many expected him to take the step up to League One as quickly as he has done.

The 21-year-old registered seven goal involvements in 19 fourth-tier outings last season. So far this year, he has three goals and two assists in just seven games for Leyton Orient.

Akhamrich has been difficult to stop in an Orient shirt, having been given the freedom to run at defences, and a lot of the attacks for Richie Wellens' side have been built through him this season.

He's also not afraid to take shots, either, with actually more attempts on goal than fellow new arrival Kabia through seven games. Those two are forming quite a partnership, which has been much appreciated at Brisbane Road after the horror show that was last season.

4 ? ? Callum Slattery - Motherwell to Sheffield Wednesday

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Sheffield Wednesday made 18 signings this summer, and out of all of those, Motherwell's Callum Slattery was arguably the most eye-catching.

The 27-year-old came off a career year in Scotland, registering 13 goal involvements in all competitions, and so far at Hillsborough, much of Henrik Pedersen's side's good attacking work goes through him.

Slattery has arguably covered every blade of grass this season. The likes of Billy Mitchell and Barry Bannan holding down the pivot roles have allowed the attacking midfielder to roam and influence games from numerous different positions.

He's had among the most touches and successful passes of any midfielder in the division, won the most fouls and scored a couple of goals while providing an assist.

Of all the Championship-ready players brought to Hillsborough this summer, Slattery is easily the one who could walk into a second-tier side right now.

3 ? ? Harvey White - Stevenage to Plymouth Argyle

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We've already covered how much of a concern it was for Stevenage to lose some key members of their spine in the summer. While Goode hasn't been able to replicate his performance levels at MK, Harvey White most definitely has at Plymouth Argyle.

The 25-year-old has been the anchor in the Plymouth midfield, as he was at the SPORTA Arena, picking up a couple of goals and registering an assist while controlling the tempo of the game. He has also set up a couple of goals in EFL Cup games, too.

After a bit of a slow start for the Pilgrims, Tom Cleverley's side are starting to find their feet and insert themselves into the early promotion conversation, and you feel that White settling into his role is helping push them up the table.

2 ? ? Kyreece Lisbie - Colchester United to Reading

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The Lisbie twins know how to take League One by storm. Kyrell had a breakout campaign at Peterborough United last year, and now Kyreece is threatening to have one himself this season at Reading.

Like Akhamrich, Lisbie had a good year in League Two last season with Colchester United, scoring 11 and assisting five in 45 games, but not many would have predicted him to have taken to the third tier as quickly as he has done.

It's been an electric opening six games in front of goal for Reading, and Lisbie has been a big part of that. His four assists top the pile after seven games, and only two players have created more big chances than him (we'll get to one of those very soon).

Having Jack Marriott leading the line obviously helps, as he won't waste the big chances he creates, and if both the frontman and Lisbie can stay fit, the 22-year-old could find himself staying atop the assist charts throughout the campaign.

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It's always eye-opening when a third-tier side can tempt a player from a recognisable European top-flight to come and play for them, and while it's only been seven games, Derensili Sanches Fernandes is showcasing why he was a regular starter in the Eredivisie for Excelsior last season.

The 25-year-old made a massive first impression with a brace on debut against AFC Wimbledon, and while he's yet to score since, he's been a creative spark for a strong-looking Huddersfield Town side under Martin Drury.

No player has created more big chances. He sits third in regular chances created, second in assists with three and third in expected assists, too. Being top three in all the key creative stats...it's pretty self-explanatory as to why he tops this list.

The task for him, and for Huddersfield, is to ensure that he stays consistent throughout the campaign, as the Terriers know all about fast starts that fade away into obscurity as the season progresses.