Five Championship stars you should be watching in the 2025/26 season, including Ipswich man with point to prove.

We can’t wait for the new Championship season to begin, and to help you prepare for the 2025/26 season, we’ve identified five players that will light up the league next season.

Obviously, talking about the top players in the Championship and what they can do is easy, but we’ve already heard a lot about Gustavo Hamer and Jack Rudoni. Instead, we’d like to talk about players who have gone unnoticed at their current teams or who have already demonstrated their abilities in other levels and are now ready to move up to the Championship. As we wait for the Championship fixture lists, let’s take a look at five players we believe will explode in the next season.

Five players to watch in the Championship next season

Mihailo Ivanovic – Millwall

With 12 goals for Millwall in 2024/25, Mihailo Ivanovic isn’t exactly a secret, but he’s still rarely mentioned as one of the division’s greatest strikers. Wolves are apparently interested in Ivanovic, but are unlikely to match the Lions’ value of the Serbian forward. Instead, we predict Ivanovic to improve on his great first season in England, scoring 20 or more goals in 2025/26. In doing so, he may help Millwall advance to the play-offs next season while also winning the Championship Golden Boot.

Charlie Kelman – QPR

Charlie Kelman was the top scorer in League One during his loan stay at Leyton Orient in 2024/25, and his temporary team came close to promotion. He now returns to QPR as a player ready to thrive in the Championship, and if Marti Cifuentes (or whoever takes his position at Loftus Road) has any sense, the USA striker will be a focal point for the upcoming season. Kelman is a versatile forward with an excellent work ethic and a high level of football intelligence. Make no mistake: he’ll be a nightmare for Championship defences next season.

Paik Seung-ho – Birmingham City

Speaking of League One, Birmingham City will be the team to watch next season, as they return to the second division with a clear goal in mind: to be promoted immediately and return to the Premier League. It’s tempting to refer to Jay Stansfield as a crucial role in those objectives, but Paik Seung-ho deserves more credit for keeping things running smoothly. The South Korean is the throbbing heart of Birmingham’s midfield, and he demonstrated last season that he is far beyond League One level. Paik Seung-ho is already dreaming of promotion, and if Birmingham are to win consecutive titles, he will be a key player.

Jack Clarke – Ipswich Town

This is a man who has been here and done that before, but Jack Clarke returns to the Championship needing to prove himself yet again. Clarke left Sunderland after an excellent season and joined Premier League club Ipswich Town, but things did not go as planned. Clarke appeared to be a ghost of his former self due to a lack of game time and consistency, but we know what he is capable of at this level, and all he needs to do now is regain that form. Ipswich Town have been tipped for success in 2025/26, and we believe Jack Clarke can lead their promotion campaign next season as he regains confidence and gets a chance for a fresh start.

Max Cleworth – Wrexham

Anyone who has been following the Wrexham story in recent years will already be familiar with Max Cleworth. For those who don’t know, he is a defender who rose through the Red Dragons’ academy ranks to become one of their main players. He was even named League One’s Player of the Year. Cleworth is poised for great things in the future, as he is calm on the ball, strong in the tackle, and has an excellent understanding of the game. He has a legitimate shot at playing in the Premier League, but whether that happens with or without Wrexham remains to be seen.

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