Don Goodman has touted Ollie Arblaster and Tom Fellows as his two players to watch in the upcoming Championship campaign.
The second-tier has enjoyed a growing succession rate in recent years when it comes to young talent eventually graduating to Premier League stardom and beyond. Indeed, the dynamic has undertaken a shift of sorts, with top-flight clubs now increasingly inclined to taking calculated risks and recruiting from the Championship.
Such a shift in recruitment policy has been showcased this summer through the departures of Leeds United duo Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray’s departures to West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, Jacob Greaves’ switch to newly-promoted Ipswich Town and the return of Jaden Philogene to Aston Villa following just one season at the MKM Stadium, although the winger had been a target for numerous Premier League clubs.
Following those exits, there still remains little sign of the trend being bucked anytime soon, and both Arblaster and Fellows have been predicted to have strong individual campaigns and potentially make the step-up to the Premier League in the not-too-distant future.
Don Goodman’s Ollie Arblaster, Tom Fellows verdicts
The Sky Sports pundit has namechecked the Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion talents as ones to watch in the 2024/25 campaign, which the Blades themselves will initiate as they travel to Preston North End on Friday evening.
“I think it’s telling that more players from the EFL are coming through and are getting an opportunity in the Premier League because I think there’s so much talent in the Championship, particularly, that is capable of playing in the Premier League,” Goodman explained to Football League World via Grosvenor Sport.
“Over the years, there had seemed to be this little bit of snobbery from Premier League clubs to suggest that the Championship players wouldn’t be able to do it and wouldn’t be good enough.
“But people like Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Ollie Watkins, and Jarrod Bowen have highlighted that actually, if you dig deep enough, there’s lots and lots of lads that can play in the Premier League.
“Based on what other people are saying, one I think will have a great season is Ollie Arblaster at Sheffield United. Everybody has told me that this boy is very, very special.
“So I’m really looking forward to seeing him. He had a really good loan spell at Port Vale and I should imagine that he’ll get a lot more opportunities this season in the Championship at Bramall Lane, so I’m looking forward to seeing him.
“Tom Fellows is an obvious one from West Brom. Great breakthrough season, with goals, assists, and constant stream of crosses. He registered four goals, three assists last season. I’m sure this season it will be a lot more than that this time around.
