The second tier of English football is a breeding ground for upcoming stars and we’ve compiled a ridiculously talented former Championship XI that could easily win the Premier League in 2025-26.
Whether players develop while out on loan or come through a Championship academy, there are countless examples of former EFL stars who’ve made it to the very top.
Using players who’ve played in the Championship in the last five years, here’s an XI that could realistically win the Premier League next season.
GK: David Raya
Born in Barcelona, Raya was picked up by the Blackburn Rovers academy in 2012 and made his senior debut for the club in 2014-15.
Following a few eye-catching years at Ewood Park, he was then picked up by Brentford in 2019 and the rest is history.
He won the Championship Golden Glove during his debut season and quickly earned a reputation with the Bees.
The 29-year-old is now considered one of the best goalkeepers on the planet, having won two consecutive Premier League Golden Glove awards.
RB: Ben White
From White to Reece James, the Championship has been home to some top full-backs over the last few years.
White spent the 2019-20 campaign on loan with Leeds United and predominantly played as a centre-half under Marcelo Bielsa.
He’s since transitioned into one of the Premier League’s top full-backs under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.
CB: Marc Guehi
Currently one of the most in-demand defenders in the Premier League, Guehi initially made a name for himself while on loan with Swansea.
He made it to the Championship play-off final in 2021, but ultimately lost against Brentford in the final.
Since then, the 24-year-old has established himself as an England international and is valued at around £70million by Crystal Palace.
CB: Levi Colwill
Any Huddersfield fan who watched Colwill back in 2021-22 knew that he was going straight to the very top.
The Chelsea defender looked like a Rolls-Royce in the Championship and played a key role in Huddersfield making the play-off final that season.
“I think he’s going to be one of the most important centre-backs for this country in the future,” said former Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan in 2021.
Fast forward to 2025 and the 22-year-old now has five England caps under his belt.
LB: Antonee Robinson
The United States international enjoyed stints with Bolton, Wigan and Fulham in the Championship.
It quickly became apparent that he was a cut above the level and Championship fans haven’t been surprised by his recent success in the Premier League.
Only Anthony Elanga, Jacob Murphy and Mohamed Salah produced more Premier League assists than Robinson last season.
CM: Adam Wharton
Now valued at upwards of £80million, a few Premier League clubs probably regret not moving for Wharton sooner, while he was tearing things up for Blackburn Rovers.
The 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength since joining Crystal Palace and is now attracting interest from the biggest clubs in the country.
CM: Jude Bellingham
Bellingham made his Championship debut at the age of 16 and racked up 41 league appearances during his first season at St. Andrew’s.
It quickly became apparent that Blues had a superstar on their hands and his sale to Borussia Dortmund in 2020 was a huge boost to the club’s finances at the time.
Now aged 22, he’s considered one of the best players on the planet, having finished third in the Ballon d’Or rankings last year.
How many of these Englishmen can you name?
QUIZ: Can you name every British player to play for Real Madrid since 1990?
CAM: Michael Olise
The French international produced 19 goal contributions during his final season in the Championship, scoring seven goals and providing 12 assists for Reading.
By that point, it was clear that he was ready for Premier League football. Crystal Palace signed him for a snip at just under £9million in 2021, thanks to a release clause in his contract.
Now in 2025, the 23-year-old comfortably ranks among the best playmakers in Europe. During his debut season for Bayern Munich, he’s produced a whopping 43 goal contributions.
READ NEXT: Birmingham’s dream Championship XI for 2025-26 includes SEVEN new signings
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club to play in the Championship since 2000-01?
RW: Bryan Mbeumo
While playing in the Championship, Brentford signed Mbeumo from Troyes for a then club-record £5.8million fee.
Following an outstanding 2024-25 campaign in the Premier League, he’s now being linked with a £65million switch to Old Trafford.
ST: Viktor Gyokeres
Premier League clubs definitely missed a trick when they let Gyokeres leave England and join Sporting in 2023.
The Swedish forward had been ripping things up in the Championship for two consecutive seasons with Coventry, scoring 40 goals in 97 appearances.
Since moving to Portugal, his numbers have gone supersonic and Manchester United are currently pushing hard for his signature.
Having scored 97 goals over the last two seasons, we can’t wait to see him in the Premier League next season.
LW: Eberechi Eze
QPR have a knack when it comes to developing technical playmakers and Eze is undoubtedly their finest export in recent years.
The attacking midfielder danced around Championship defenders for fun during 2019-20 and QPR fans haven’t been surprised by his trajectory since then.
Now a fully-fledged England international, Arsenal are among the clubs trying to sign the dynamic 27-year-old.