All 24 EFL Championship clubs’ best homegrown player named and ranked from worst to best | OneFootball

FLW has ranked each club's best homegrown player in comparison to their counterparts

The Championship is, once again, full of homegrown talent and seasoned campaigners who previously rose through the ranks of their current club or progressed through the academy of another EFL or Premier League outfit.

As such, all 24 clubs currently competing within the second tier of English football have to adhere to strict quotas involving homegrown players.

Each club must register a 25-man squad, and among those, a minimum of eight players must come under the description of 'homegrown'. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that said player has to represent England or Wales at international level, as long as they spent three years prior to their 21st birthday representing a club under the umbrella of the aforementioned countries' Football Association.

With that being said, Football League World has selected each Championship side's best homegrown player as per the aforementioned ruling, and ranked them in a 24-1 list in comparison to their respective counterparts.

Unfortunately, one player has to come bottom of the list, and that is Tyreece Campbell of Charlton Athletic.

The winger has been on the Addicks' books since the age of nine, and has gone on to make over 130 senior appearances for the club thus far, which included a standout season last time out as the club were promoted from League One via the play-offs.

Campbell will be hoping to, once again, play a key role in maintaining their second-tier status, as well as proving that he is more than capable of establishing an individual career at this level.

23 Millwall - Jake Cooper

Next up is Millwall centre-back Jake Cooper, who progressed through Reading's academy before becoming a stalwart at The Den.

The towering figure is an extremely assuring presence in the Lions' rearguard, and his height has also been a useful weapon in terms of goal threat for several bosses, scoring over 25 goals and registering just shy of 20 assists for the club since his initial loan move to SE16 back in January 2016.

Similarly, Jordan Storey's defensive nous has gone under-the-radar at Preston North End, having established himself as a regular at Deepdale after coming through Exeter City's academy setup.

The 28-year-old has consistently been a reliable figure for the Lilywhites, and such circumstances have continued to play out in the early weeks of this season, with Paul Heckingbottom's side proving to be extremely resolute as they look to right the wrongs of how last season nearly ended in relegation.

Despite making 27 senior appearances for Scotland, Barry Bannan qualifies for this ranking after coming through the Aston Villa academy.

After making 82 appearances at Villa Park, the 35-year-old moved to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2015, becoming a modern-day cult hero at Hillsborough for his loyalty and dedication, as well as a catalogue of stunning finishes and assists.

Bannan has overseen plenty of mixed fortunes in S6, which look set to continue at present due to Dejphon Chansiri's running of the club.

Cameron Brannagan was recently named Oxford United captain, making over 300 appearances for the club whilst showcasing why he used to be on Liverpool's books.

The deep-lying midfielder's wand of a right foot has been so beneficial to the club's return to the Championship and subsequent consolidation efforts, and he is now on the lookout for the next generation of talented stars, setting up the Cameron Brannagan Football Academy.

19 Blackburn Rovers - Todd Cantwell

Todd Cantwell came through the Norwich City ranks with a stellar reputation, and whilst his potential hasn't been fully fulfilled, the playmaker has gone on to have a respectable career.

Currently plying his trade for Blackburn Rovers, the 27-year-old's technical ability and experience will have a big say on how successful Valerien Ismael's first full season at Ewood Park turns out to be, having already made a strong personal start to the campaign with a handful of goals and assists already posted.

18 Derby County - Carlton Morris

Derby County made a plethora of signings this summer, and it is fair to say that Carlton Morris tops the lot.

The former Norwich academy graduate has become a proven goal-getter at this level and beyond in recent seasons, netting 39 goals in three years with Luton Town prior to the club's relegation to League One.

Morris has already proven why his signature was wanted by John Eustace too, as he sits among the early-season top scorers in the division after a fast personal start to life with his new employers.

17 Watford - Kwadwo Baah

Watford have several highly-rated talents at their disposal, yet it is Kwadwo Baah who is the standout homegrown prospect despite being born in Germany.

The winger moved to Vicarage Road from Rochdale in 2021, finally enjoying a breakthrough season with the Hornets in 2024/25, where he accumulated four goals and three assists in 27 league appearances.

At 22, there is still plenty of room for growth, with Paulo Pezzolano hoping to see more of his dynamism and unpredictability as the season unfolds.

16 Norwich City - Kellen Fisher

Kellen Fisher is the standout homegrown talent at Norwich City right now, proven by recent Premier League interest.

After signing from Bromley in 2023, the 21-year-old made his major breakthrough into the first-team picture last season, which earned him a new contract until the summer of 2028.

Unsurprisingly, Fisher was named as the club's Young Player of the Year for his efforts, which alerted the likes of Everton and Nottingham Forest in the recent summer transfer window.

Another man with Norwich connections on this list is Josh Murphy, who has been an inspired signing since moving to Portsmouth last summer.

After starring in Oxford's promotion campaign, the 30-year-old was integral in maintaining the Blues' Championship status last term, ending the campaign as the division's joint-top assist maker with 14, before starting the current campaign in a similar fashion.