With top-flight clubs gearing up for another summer of spending, casting their net into the second tier could scoop up a few gems
Dozens of players have made the step up from the lower league in recent years to make a huge impact on the Premier League. Chris Wood, Alex Pritchard and Jeff Hendrick have all been impressive for their respective clubs this season after being signed from the Championship in the past few years. Who will be the next player to make the step up? Here are a few candidatesGetty ImagesTom Cairney | Fulham
Cairney has been linked to West Ham United and Newcastle in the past two transfer windows and for good reason.
The Fulham captain is one of the best midfielders in the Championship and it is no coincidence that Slavisa Jokanovic's side went on a 23-game unbeaten streak after he returned to full fitness.
Cairney would be capable of playing for any mid-table Premier League club due to his exceptional vision and dribbling abilities. He can also strike from range if needed as showcased by his goals against Wolves and Leeds United last season.
If Fulham don’t secure promotion via the play-offs don’t be surprised to see Cairney on the move this summer.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesAden Flint | Bristol City
Aden Flint has been on a lot of clubs’ radars since his Swindon Town days.
Standing at 6ft 5ins, the defender is a dominant figure in the air and he regularly features prominently on the scoring charts come the end of each season, hitting a career-high 15 in 2014-15 at Swindon.
Flint has been fantastic for Bristol City this season, particularly standing out in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
Getty Images Abel Hernandez | Hull City
Abel Hernandez is a Premier League player stuck in the Championship.
The Uruguayan has missed most of this season through injury as Hull slipped down the table to flirt with relegation.
Hernandez scored eight goals in 10 Championship appearances this season and would be an asset to any Premier League side in need of a goalscorer.
Getty ImagesAdama Traore | Middlesbrough
The former Barcelona winger is unstoppable when he is playing at his best.
Watch the highlights of his performance against Leeds United this season and you will see the Spaniard at the peak of his powers.
Traore has all the physical attributes that you would want from a winger, he is one of the fastest players in football and he runs with such power. If a coach could fine-tune Traore and improve his final ball he could be one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premier League.