Burrows, Leonard, Helm and more – the 27 latest EFL signings
Burrows, Leonard, Helm and more – the 27 latest EFL signings
NTT20's Summer Transfer Bulletin brings you every signing in the EFL, in detail, in your inbox, every Monday and Thursday.
The Summer Transfer Bulletin is brought to you by Ali Maxwell, George Elek, Huw Davies, Sam Parry, Craig Bradley and Matt Watts. The introduction is by Ali Maxwell.
The summer of Class A content…
This is our final bulletin in July, which has been a fantastic month of transfer contenting on NTT20.COM.
That’s not me saying, “Aren’t we amazing?”, by the way. I am proud of the fact that, having committed to covering every single EFL transfer – something that’s never been done before – with detail, insight and passion, we have delivered exactly that. I am terrified of overpromising and underdelivering, so it’s been a successful month in terms of avoiding that phobia.
But the real reason it has been a fantastic month isn’t because of what we’ve done. It’s because of your response. The numbers have been fantastic. Each ‘like’ that has been left on an article gives a rush of satisfaction and a pat on the back to the team. The new subscribers are abundant. The guest pieces from Gab and Oli have added new voices and perspectives, but also delivered the NTT20 non-negotiables: passion, insight and quality.
Transfers are addictive. There’s no getting away from it. We hope that with our coverage of the window, we’re feeding the addiction in a healthy way by providing something with actual value to you, rather than the empty calories of regurgitated, second-hand quotes; the noxious sugar rush of an unverified Twitter account that you know deep down has absolutely no idea what is going on but you still let it take up your brain-time and energy…
If this sounds a bit sniffy, well, that’s because it is. Sorry. For years, Not The Top 20 didn’t touch transfer content because, while we knew it would be good for business, we didn’t think we could do it well, and we didn’t want to perpetuate a diet of fast-content that didn’t add any value to a transfer addict, but exploits them instead.
Now, thanks to the Substack model and our own squad-building, we can do it well. I think the data from the last month proves that – but it would be great to hear from you with any constructive feedback on how we can do it even better.
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Championship
Victor Palsson (CB) - [Eupen - Plymouth] - Free
Fifteen years after Liverpool brought Victor Palsson to these shores, the Icelandic veteran is back in England courtesy of a blue-side Scouser. Palsson and Wayne Rooney have crossed paths before at DC United, and the new Argyle manager will be looking to the 33-year-old to bring leadership qualities to Plymouth’s defence.
Palsson isn’t exactly lacking in worldly experience, either: over the past decade and a half, his wanderlust has taken him to nine different countries, never spending more than two seasons at one club. And yet he still has a blurry 13-year-old photo as his profile picture on Wikipedia.
Jacob Farrell (LB) - [Central Coast Mariners - Portsmouth] - Undisclosed
The 21-year-old is a solid, aggressive left-back who has been a crucial part of the best team in Australia over the past two years, winning the domestic title twice as well as Asia’s Europa League equivalent, the AFC Champions League Two.
A defence-first full back, Farrell should complement Jacob Murphy or fellow Aussie Sam Silvera on Pompey’s left side. He becomes the club’s fourth Australian player in the last 12 months, following Kusini Yengi, Alex Robertson and Silvera.
Harrison Burrows (LB) - [Peterborough - Sheffield United] - Undisclosed
League One’s Player of the Season jumps straight into the embrace of a Championship big fish.
Burrows was at Peterborough since the age of six, and he’s a fantastic success story of the club’s academy. Posh showed belief and gave him consistent opportunities from a young age, often as a wing-back and even as a #10, before his move to left-back in 2023/24. A total of 12 goals and 17 assists is a remarkable return for anyone, let alone somebody playing as a left-back in a back four, and it underlined his technical ability. His crossing and passing are both excellent, so he can contribute in a classic sense down the outside but also when inverting inside.
He isn’t considered a lockdown defender, and will be strongly tested on that front by the Championship’s wide forwards. But if Blades can be a good attacking team that spend a lot of time in the final third, he should contribute plenty in attack. A reported £3m fee (plus another £3m in add-ons) gives a sense that this is a good deal for all parties, and that’s what we love to see.
Paddy McNair (CB/CM) - [Middlesbrough - San Diego - West Bromwich Albion] - Free/Loan
An incredibly versatile player dripping with second-tier experience... It’s easy to see why Carlos Corberan would be attracted to Paddy McNair. The 29-year-old, who will spend the first half of the season at The Hawthorns before heading out to San Diego, can play anywhere across a back three or four and also as a holding midfielder. The Northern Irishman is good on the ball but loves defending – he’s a bit of Corberan, all right.
League One
Marc Leonard (CM) - [Brighton - Birmingham] - Undisclosed
The third-tier title favourites make another high-quality signing at substantial cost – reportedly around half a million pounds. Leonard has starred for Northampton on loan from Brighton for the past two seasons, putting a League Two promotion on his CV before playing 4,130 of 4,140 available minutes in League One (how those lost 10 minutes must haunt him).
Doing his best work in a sitting role, he should provide the perfect complement to Paik Seung-ho and Jordan James. Championship clubs had him on their wishlist but it’s Blues who claim his signature.
Terence Vancooten (CB) - [Stevenage - Burton] - Undisclosed
After seven years at Stevenage, Terence Vancooten leaves the club for a “significant fee”. The 26-year-old, who is capable of playing at the heart of the defence and at the base of the midfield, reads the game very well and has plenty of League One experience. There will be a few question marks about the fee and Vancooten’s recent injury record, but the Guyanese defender will bring a lot to the table, on and off the pitch, for Mark Robinson’s new-look Brewers.
Harry Isted (GK) - [Charlton - Burton] - Undisclosed
Summer signing No.20 for Burton Albion. Charlton thought they’d made a bit of coup in picking up Harry Isted last summer, following his impressive loan spell at Barnsley in the 2022/23 season. Instead, Isted underwhelmed and, 12 months later, has been deemed surplus to requirements twelve months later. So, he joins Burton with a point to prove – but his first battle will be to wrestle the starting spot away from Max Crocombe.
Junior Quitirna (AM) - [Fleetwood - Crawley] - Undisclosed
It’s been a strange summer for Crawley fans. Their promotion-winning side who brought us all so much joy last season has been decimated and a new cast is currently being assembled, with Junior Quitirna becoming the latest addition.
A Charlton academy product who made his mark in senior football with Waterford in the League of Ireland, Quitirna was a bright spark in a disappointing 2023/24 campaign for Fleetwood. When he’s in full flow, the 24-year-old is a joy to watch – a flair player, capable of the spectacular, especially from long range or dead-ball situations. Quitirna will also be one of the few players in Scott Lindsey’s squad with recent League One experience, which can’t hurt.
Matt Dibley-Dias (CM) - [Fulham - Northampton] - Loan
Looking to step in to Marc Leonard’s shoes for The Cobblers is the New Zealand, England, Portugal and Brazil-eligible midfielder Matt Dibley-Dias. This is a first senior loan for the get-it-and-give-it ball-player. Dibley-Dias will sit in front of the defensive line and offer himself as a tone-setter, while out of possession he has the physical attributes to shield across the width of the pitch.
Jack Sparkes (LB) - [Portsmouth - Peterborough] - Undisclosed
News that an injury to Rio Adebisi will see the new signing from Crewe miss the first four months of the season, combined with the departure of Harrison Burrows, meant Posh needed to act again to solve their left-back dilemma. They’ve turned to 23-year-old Jack Sparkes, who is well-known to his new team-mates, Archie Collins and Joel Randall, from their time spent together with Exeter City.
The attacking left-back added a League One title win with Portsmouth to his CV last season, and although Sparkes isn’t an upgrade on Burrows, he is comparable in style. Peterborough have handled their left-back situation well.
Jack Holmes (RW) - [Stamford - Rotherham] - Free
This is a signing snatched from under the noses of many a club, Steve Evans will have you believe. But instead of focusing on the big man’s hyping of the deal, let’s look at Holmes’ back story, written by Will Daniels for the NTT20 squad on Telegram.
Holmes starts his footballing career with Burton Albion and in September 2019, at the age of 16, he scores a screamer from the edge of the box that is nominated for goal of the month. In January 2020, he signs on loan for Halesowen Town in the Southern League Division One, and in September he signs for them permanently.
Two years later, he leaves Halesowen and signs for Hereford in the National League North, where he notches a goal and an assist on debut. In April 2023, however, he texts caretaker boss Yan Klukowski to say he wants to leave the club and Klukowski hammers Young in the press, saying, “He doesn't have the right mentality for a relegation scrap”. Young returns to Halesowen Town and wins the end of season play-offs.
In May 2024, he leaves Halesowen again, and on June 16th he signs for seventh-tier Stamford, where he plays three matches up to July 19th – when he scores against Steve Evans’ Rotherham, who offer him a trial following his dominant display. In a match against Sheffield United a week later, Holmes comes on a substitute and has an assist within three minutes. After the game, Rotherham announce his signing, handing Holmes a one-year contract in League One – four divisions higher – with the option to extend by another.
Fairytale stuff, right? And now you’re picturing Steve Evans dressed as a fairy godmother.
Joe Young (GK) - [Wolves - Shrewsbury] - Free
Having already signed Toby Savin this summer, Shrewsbury add to their new-look goalkeeping department with the signing of Joe Young from Wolves, who impressed on loan with National League North side Buxton last season. The pecking order might not be as clear-cut as it first looks – Savin will have to live up to his name if he’s to fend off Young’s challenge for the gloves.
Joshua Kayode (ST) - [Rotherham - Shrewsbury] - Loan
Kayode had a promising pair of seasons between 2019-21. Across loans with Gateshead (National League) and Carlisle (League Two), he scored 17 goals at a decent rate, while also providing a really impressive physical threat for such a young player, offering a brilliant aerial target for long passes and crosses.
BUT... Kayode has missed almost the entirety of the last two seasons through injury, and that early promise is in the rear-view mirror. Can he stay fit? That’s the first question. If so, can he operate at the physical level necessary to disrupt League One defenders consistently? Kayode could feasibly be a useful bench option for Paul Hurst... if he can stay fit.
Tyreece Simpson (ST) - [Huddersfield - Stevenage] - Undisclosed
Party like it’s autumn 2021? Fans were back in stadiums and a young Tyreece Simpson was tearing up League Two on loan at Swindon. Let’s be honest: Simpson's move to Huddersfield didn’t work out – but, after spending last season on loan at Northampton, he has a new home in Stevenage.
The Ipswich academy product, who famously turned down a professional rugby contract offered by Leicester Tigers, is everything that Stevenage generally look for in a striker: he’s big, he’s strong and he works hard. Now 22, Tyreece has shown that he knows where the back of the net is – how often can he find it in 2024/25?
Tayo Adaramola (LB/LWB) - [Crystal Palace - Stockport] - Loan
Having impressed at RWD Molenbeek during the second half of last season, Tayo Adaramola gets another crack at the EFL. The Irishman had the definition of a tricky first loan in 2022 when his spell at Coventry was cut short after he failed to settle.
The 20-year-old is a speed merchant who loves to bomb forward down the left. His athleticism and dribbling prowess has the potential to give opponents nightmares, but it’s the defensive side of his game that he needs to develop.
Joe Hugill (ST) - [Man Utd - Wigan] - Loan
Joe Hugill returns to League One on loan after a stint at Burton where, after scoring on debut, he failed to find the net again. The 20-year-old will be looking for a better experience at Wigan, who had a clear need for a striker.
Silko Thomas - (LW/RW) - [Leicester - Wigan] - Loan
Wigan take their number of loanees for the upcoming season up to four with the arrival of 20-year-old Silko Thomas. After being released by Chelsea last summer, Thomas joined Leicester where he had a fruitful PL2 campaign. The lightning-fast, tricky winger can play on either flank and attack his opponent on either side, so he should at least get bums off seats.
Like what you’re reading, but also have ears that are going unused? You should listen to Ali Maxwell in his element: talking gleefully for an hour about all of the EFL transfers that have happened so far. Listen here – and tell your friends
League Two
Danny Imray (RB/RWB) - [Crystal Palace - Bromley] - Loan
Having enjoyed an excellent 2023/24 season with Palace’s U21s, Danny Imray gets a crack at the EFL. The attacking full-back scored nine goals in 36 games, playing a vital role in the Eagles winning the Premier League International Cup. Formerly of Chelmsford City, Imray’s staggering development last season came as a surprise to many of a Palace persuasion; now Andy Woodman hopes the 21-year-old can carry that momentum into his first experience of senior football.
Ryan Bowman (ST) - [Shrewsbury - Cheltenham] - Free
The Greatest Bowman has shown impressive durability: now 32, he has played 13 full seasons across the National League, League Two, Scottish Premiership and League One. It may be the case that such mileage has taken its toll, because Bowman has found goals hard to come by in League One, scoring just five over the last two seasons.
However, he is more than comfortable in a targetman role, battling with centre-backs. Can he also muster the output we saw over three seasons at this level with Exeter, scoring 32 goals at a rate of 0.37 per 90?
Levi Laing (CB) - [West Ham - Cheltenham] - Loan
Cheltenham’s need for central defensive additions was looking obvious and so they bring in Levi Laing from West Ham, on his first senior loan. Laing, 21, isn’t physically dominant, instead relying on his pace and reading of the game for recovery and to nip in front of his direct opponent.
Mark Helm (CM/AM) - [Burton - Fleetwood] - Free (compensation)
There’s been a massive squad churn at Burton this summer, but one player that the Brewers fans generally wanted to keep hold of was Mark Helm. Alas. While the 22-year-old midfielder is inconsistent, he’s also versatile, technically gifted and capable of the spectacular. On his day, the former Manchester United youngster is, quite simply, far too good for League Two.
Lee Angol (ST) - [Sutton - Morecambe] - Free
Angol had a reputation as an exciting, dynamic striker early in his career after promising spells with Peterborough, Lincoln and Mansfield, but he has scored only 16 non-penalty league goals in the last six seasons, failing to perform consistently. It's fair to say that he is unlikely to have picked up an EFL contract anywhere else, but that is the personality and beauty of Morecambe’s recruitment.
Watch clips of his best moments and you can see what appeals to managers: he’s got size, a bit of speed, and a decent finish on him. Angol is 29 now and this may be his last chance in the EFL unless he performs to a high standard; if he's fit and motivated, however, he might surprise one or two people.
Cameron Evans (RB/CB/LB) - [Taunton - Newport] - Free
The former Welsh youth international has spent the last 18 months in the National League South with Taunton Town, after leaving Swansea’s academy for the League of Ireland’s Sligo Rovers. Taunton had financial problems and were relegated to the Southern Premier League South, and Evans didn't appear an obvious candidate to step up two divisions to the EFL, but the versatile right-footed centre-back can provide Newport with cover across all defensive positions.
Robbie Cundy (CB) - [Barnsley - Notts County] - Free
Stuart Maynard has continued his defensive overhaul at Notts County by bringing in former Bristol City and Barnsley man Robbie Cundy. The 27-year-old centre-half missed the entirety of last season with a hip injury, but had a successful trial with the 'pies. He’s a big, aggressive defender, also decent in possession, and if he can stay fit and return to the level he was at in 22/23, then this could be an excellent pick-up. At this point, though, they are very big ifs.
Jack Hinchy (CM) - [Brighton - Notts County] - Free
After an impressive spell as Brighton’s U21 captain, Jack Hinchy has left the south coast to try and make his mark in senior football. Hinchy, 21, is an all-action midfielder who is effective at breaking up play whilst also being very good in possession, and he gives Notts some genuine depth in central midfield with the likes of Matty Palmer, Scott Robertson and Curtis Edwards already at the club.
Miguel Freckleton (CB/LB) - [Sheffield United - Swindon] - Loan
Swindon snap up a versatile left-sided defender who has National League experience from loans with Wealdstone, Yeovil and Chesterfield. From September until January last season, he was first-choice left-back for Paul Cook’s all-conquering Spireites, before an injury kept him out for three months. Swindon are now well-stocked for centre-back options.
Declan Drysdale (CB) - [Newport - Tranmere] - Free
After five and a half years away, Declan Drysdale has come home. The Tranmere academy product returns to the Wirral, aged 24, after spells with Coventry and Newport. The big, left-footed central defender will be hoping to put his injury woes behind him and fulfil some of that undoubted potential.
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