The Championship is a notoriously tough and tricky domestic league. The situation both at the top and at the bottom changes every week, and so do the fortunes of teams aiming to finish in the playoffs.
The January transfer window is a period when clubs in the Championship are quite busy. After all, this is a great chance for teams to evaluate their deficiencies and needs and address them.
As expected, there were a number of transfers in the Championship in January. Below we have picked five of the best signings in the division last month.
Henri Lansbury (Nottingham Forest to Aston Villa)
Henri Lansbury did not have a great season for Nottingham Forest before his move to Championship rivals Aston Villa in the January transfer window. However, there can be no doubt that Lansbury is one of the best players in the division.
During his time at the City Ground, the 26-year-old midfielder showed what he is capable of. The former Arsenal man does have issues with consistency, but if played to his strengthens, then he could prove to be very important player for Villa.
Chuba Akpom (Arsenal to Brighton & Hove Albion, loan)
Chuba Akpom is a very talented and promising young striker, and he could prove to be shrewd for Brighton & Hove Albion for the second half of the season. Akpom has joined the Seagulls on loan, and the 21-year-old will be looking to make an immediate impact.
The youngster has experience of playing in the Premier League, and this will come in handy in the coming weeks and months as the Seagulls aim to clinch one of the two automatic promotion spots. Brighton are among the favourites to get automatic promotion according to championship betting odds, and the youngster’s presence in the team is only going to be beneficial to manager Chris Hughton.
The loan deal is also going to be important for Akpom. It will help him develop into a better player, especially as the Championship is much more ‘rough and tough’ than the Premier League.
Jordan Rhodes (Middlesbrough to Sheffield Wednesday, loan)
Jordan Rhodes may have struggled to make an impact for Middlesbrough in the Premier League this season, but he should prove to a big signing for Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship. Rhodes, who has moved to Wednesday on a loan deal, knows the division inside out, and his goals could help the Owls cement their place in the top six.
Rhodes scored 10 goals in 25 Championship appearances for Blackburn last season before finding the net six times in 17 league games for Middlesbrough following his move in January 2016.
Ross McCormack (Aston Villa to Nottingham Forest, loan)
Forget Ross McCormack’s struggles with his electric gate, he is the real deal in the Championship. McCormack may have fallen out of favour at Aston Villa, but Forest have signed a superb player. The 30-year-old former Leeds United and Rangers striker would be looking to score the goals needed to push the Reds into the top half of the table.
McCormack was able to score just three goals for Villa this season before his loan move to Forest in January. It is clear that the Scotland international striker needs to do better, and one suspects that he will be looking to step up his game and prove his detractors wrong during his time at Villa Park.
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