Exclusive: Lee Hendrie names the 3 best midfielders in the EFL Championship right now | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has exclusively told FLW his picks for the three midfielders in the Championship right now

Lee Hendrie has named Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Birmingham City players when listing his top three midfielders in the Championship.

Hayden Hackney, Jack Rudoni and Paik Seung-ho have all stood out during various points of the 2025/26 season.

Coventry are heading for promotion back to the Premier League for the first time since 2001, whilst Middlesbrough might well join them in achieving the same thing. Birmingham's campaign, meanwhile, has been full of inconsistency, but there have been undoubted bright moments and individuals.

Lee Hendrie picks his three top Championship midfielders

Hendrie has highlighted Hackney in particular for his impressive season under new managers in Rob Edwards and Kim Hellberg, particularly highlighting his leadership skills at such a young age.

“At the moment, I’ve got to really be looking at the top end of the table, and Boro and Hayden Hackney’s been absolutely excellent for them this season,” Hendrie exclusively told Football League World.

“Already contributed a goal, started every game as well, and he’s a player that’s got that — I’ve said this before — he’s got that bit of leadership considering he’s still relatively young.

“He’s got that drive and obviously new managers to go and impress, and he’s really done that I think this season, so he’d be one of my three for sure.”

He also believes that Jack Rudoni is definitely in the conversation for his contributions in attack: “And Jack Rudoni is another one.

“Obviously, he’s ended up staying at the football club, again a more advanced midfielder but can get up and down the pitch, a goal threat as he’s proved again with goals and assists already.

“You have to say he’s definitely amongst [the top three].”

Finally, Hendrie suggested the importance of Paik’s defensive quality is just as important for Birmingham: “And, it’d have to be one of the two Birmingham centre-midfielders, I’d probably go for Paik in that midfield area.

“I’ve been impressed with him, to be honest, having watched him play.

“I think that he’s shown he’s certainly got a real bite about him in midfield, more of a defensive holding midfielder but really quite pivotal for Birmingham and the way they set up and try and keep the ball.

“He does that really well and breaks the game up really well, so I think they’d be my three that I’ve seen this season that I think have been stand out.”

Speculation surrounded the futures of both Rudoni and Hackney over the summer, but both remained at Coventry and Middlesbrough, respectively. Meanwhile, Paik helped Chris Davies’ side promotion from League One last season, and they've stayed comfortably clear of trouble all year, despite not quite matching the lofty expectations many had.

Hard to argue against Lee Hendrie’s midfield picks

Hackney has proven himself as a top Championship midfielder under Michael Carrick, and he’s started this season in fantastic form.

If Boro aren’t promoted this year, then it’s difficult to imagine him remaining in the second tier beyond this term.

Meanwhile, Rudoni has made the move to the CBS Arena from last summer extremely well, and he could be crucial to Frank Lampard’s side transitioning from an EFL side into a Premier League outfit.

And the defensive quality of Paik will be just as important for Birmingham, making this a really well-balanced pick for the top three midfielders in the division.