rewrite this title 2025 winter transfer window: Every done deal from the Championship

For many, the Championship is the best league in the world – and with good reason. Once again this year at the halfway stage, we have a title tussle, an unclear play-off picture and a frantic fight to avoid the drop.

More excitement is set to come the way of fans of second-tier clubs as the January transfer window opens for business. Running until 11pm on Monday 3rd February, it is a chance for all 24 teams to bolster their ranks ahead of the critical stages of the campaign.

The likes of Leeds United and Sheffield United are set to scrap for the Championship title, though Burnley are hot on their heels looking to steal an automatic promotion slot for themselves.

Sunderland look set to return to the play-offs under Regis Le Bris provided they can sustain their promising start, while surprise package Watford could yet upset perennial contenders such as West Bromwich Albion for a top-six slot.

At the other end, Plymouth Argyle look doomed, so may require some inspired business over the next month, while newbies Oxford United and Portsmouth are among those battling for Championship survival after testing returns to the second tier.

Here, we have every in and out from each Championship club throughout the winter window.

Note: Spending totals do not include undisclosed fees.

Blackburn Rovers

Total spent: £0

John Eustace’s Blackburn are well in the play-off hunt, even amid a disappointing downturn in form since the new year. Eustace and Rovers will be hoping that the addition of Adam Forshaw – a promotion winner with Leeds in 2020 – can aid their play-off bid.

Experienced Championship defender Dion Sanderson is their only other arrival thus far, so bar a late flurry in the window’s final days, it seems as though Eustace will trust the players he has got to get over the line come May.

Bristol City

Total spent: £0

Bristol City are yet to add in the winter window, despite starting to move into play-off contention in the Championship. Whether they decide to recruit a killer signing that makes the difference this term remains to be seen, but Liam Manning’s side have so far stuck with what they’ve got.

The only activity at Ashton Gate this January has been through the exit door, with attacker Fally Mayulu the latest to depart on loan to Austrian outfit Sturm Graz, having started just three second-tier games all season.

Centre-back Rob Atkinson was also among those to leave on loan, with the 26-year-old finally getting some game time after not getting a look-in this term.

Burnley

Total spent: £2.5m

Scott Parker’s Burnley have been the most active side in the Championship early on in the window, with two incomings in the first couple of days.

One is a familiar face in Ashley Barnes, who re-joined the club after ending his contract at Norwich. The Austria international is something of a promotion specialist, so could be a handy addition to Parker’s side.

The other arrival has seen Denmark-born Peruvian Oliver Sonne join from Danish outfit Silkeborg in a deal worth around €3m (£2.5m). The full-back bolsters a Clarets defence that has conceded just nine goals in the Championship all season.

Cardiff City

Total spent: £3.4m

Coventry City

Total spent: £0

Derby County

Total spent: £840k

With Derby now in a spot of relegation bother, new signings could be crucial as they bid for Championship survival. They have welcomed two new arrivals so far this month, with striker Lars-Jorgen Salvesen joined by Middlesbrough’s Matt Clarke – both on permanent deals.

Salvesen hit the ground running with a goal on his first start, albeit in a defeat to fellow strugglers Cardiff City. Meanwhile, Clarke will look to get his first taste of football in a Rams shirt ahead of their upcoming clash with Sheffield United.

Hull City

Total spent: £4.2m

Incoming Hull City manager Ruben Selles has wasted little time replenishing his side as they battle the drop, with five new players through the door as we enter the final 10 days of the window.

The new faces are a mixture of top-flight experience in the shape of ex-Watford attacker Nordin Amrabat, while Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt will be among those eager to impress with chances few and far between at Elland Road.

The Tigers were thought to have spent around £2.5m to bring striker Kyle Joseph to the MKM Stadium from League One outfit Blackpool. Selles and co will be hoping that their new arrivals can help spur them to safety amid a tight battle to turn their season around and avoid relegation.

Leeds United

Total spent: £0

Luton Town

Total spent: £4.5m

Luton’s return to the Championship is on the verge of becoming a total disaster, with the Hatters in danger of falling through the proverbial trap door as they face the prospect of successive relegations.

They have spent in recent days by welcoming the likes of League One duo Thelo Aasgaard and Millenic Alli, while Luton have also recruited from Championship rivals Middlesbrough and Bristol City to bolster their ranks ahead of the crunch period of the season.

The biggest outgoing of the month was undoubtedly Rob Edwards, who was relieved of his duties amid the side’s freefall to the Championship drop zone just 18 months after promotion.

Middlesbrough

Total spent: £8.1m

With the window entering its final week, Middlesbrough picked up two key arrivals as they look to bolster their bid for the play-offs. Having won just two of their six games in January, the captures of Plymouth’s Morgan Whittaker and Ipswich’s George Edmundson could yet provide Boro with solidity and improvements at both ends of the pitch.

Michael Carrick has also seen Ryan Giles join from Hull as the Riverside Stadium outfit seek a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

After reaching the play-offs in his first season in charge, Carrick will be hoping their latest flurry of transfer activity can spark a turnaround that ends in glory at Wembley Stadium.

Millwall

Total spent: £0

Norwich City

Total spent: £7.1m

Norwich City saw a handful of players depart Carrow Road in the first half of January, with the Carrow Road side reacting by bringing in winger Matej Jurasek and centre-midfielder Anis Slimane for just over £7m combined.

Ashley Barnes recently agreed to end his contract by mutual consent as he sealed a return to former club Burnley, while Christian Fassnacht has secured a move to Young Boys, who are currently struggling in the Swiss top flight and the Champions League.

The Canaries’ form has been up and down so far, and thus sit in mid-table at the halfway point. They are not a million miles off the play-off places, and a fresh injection of talent into the squad may help stage a surge into the top six.

Oxford United

Total spent: £1.7m

Plymouth Argyle

Total spent: £0

Plymouth started the January window managerless, with Wayne Rooney given his marching orders with the Pilgrims looking doomed to a return to the third tier.

Since then, they have hired a new boss in Miron Muslic and recouped a potential £9m in transfer receipts. The largest chunk of that comes from Morgan Whittaker’s departure, with £5m paid upfront by Championship rivals Middlesbrough.

Whittaker is one of five departures at the time of writing, while midfielder Michael Baidoo joined for an undisclosed fee from Europa League outfit Elfsborg.

Muslic will require more than new signings to defeat the drop this season, but some relatively high-profile sales could give Plymouth the financial means to put up a good fight, whichever division they are in come August.

Portsmouth

Total spent: £1.3m

John Mousinho’s Portsmouth are looking to take advantage of their recent revival by capitalising on the open transfer market amid their bid to survive the drop.

They recently welcomed their first permanent signing of the winter with the addition of teenage Australian striker Thomas Waddingham, while they have also sourced Premier League experience in the form of Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden, who has joined on loan until the end of the season alongside Bristol City defender Rob Atkinson.

Having won three of their last five ahead of a trip to play-off chasers West Brom in the Championship, decisive activity in the remainder of the window could be the difference between maintaining their upturn in form and staying up, and returning straight back to the third tier.

Preston North End

Total spent: £1.5m

Queens Park Rangers

Total spent: £0

Queens Park Rangers have enjoyed a fine run of form in recent weeks, with the R’s now seemingly comfortable following an iffy start to the campaign.

That hasn’t stopped players coming through the door at Loftus Road, albeit only through a couple of loans as we enter the final days of the window. Ronnie Edwards joined from Southampton in early January to strengthen the Hoops’ backline, with the Saints loanee already picking up three wins in a QPR shirt.

More recently, Tottenham youngster Yang Min-hyeok – who only officially joined the Lilywhites this month from South Korean outfit Gangwon FC – has also joined the west Londoners as they look to begin February in the top half of the table.

Sheffield United

Total spent: £10m

Sheffield United welcomed the biggest outlay of the winter in the Championship so far by sealing a deal for Leicester City’s Tom Cannon, who has joined in a reported £10m transfer.

It is a statement of intent from the promotion-chasing Blades, who are in the thick of the automatic promotion race despite their points deduction, which may yet prove critical when it comes to the final standings.

Ben Brereton Diaz has also returned for a second loan spell after the Chilean failed to make an impact in the Premier League with doomed Southampton.

Sheffield Wednesday

Total spent: £0

Stoke City

Total spent: £0

Sunderland

Total spent: £0

Sunderland arguably made the most high-profile Championship signing of the window by luring Roma midfielder Enzo Le Fee to the English second tier.

His opening games for the club haven’t quite seen the Black Cats produce their best, but with four and a half seasons of top-flight football under his belt, he could yet be the difference between promotion and disappointment.

In fact, it could be argued that the January window has proved something of a distraction, with Sunderland only winning half of their January games and exiting the FA Cup at the first hurdle.

It remains to be seen if Regis Le Bris can further add to his squad before next week’s deadline, but the Wearsiders have secured a class act in Le Fee, with the French manager’s connections potentially holding the key to an impressive promotion campaign.

Swansea City

Total spent: £0

Watford

Total spent: £0

West Bromwich Albion

Total spent: £2.5m

It has been a stop-start campaign for those following West Bromwich Albion, with the Championship’s draw specialists seeing Carlos Corberan depart for struggling La Liga side Valencia mid-season.

With Tony Mowbray returning to the Baggies hot seat, the Midlanders are still aiming for a return to the Premier League having lost just five games this term.

Their only winter transfer activity to date has been the arrival of Isaac Price from Standard Liege, with the Northern Ireland international looking to spur his new side to a first top-flight berth since 2021.