EFL Transfer Bulletin #11 – Swans get Galbraith, Orient break transfer record for El Mizouni, Birmingham bring in three & Bindon is a Blade
The latest done deals in the EFL, and in focus: Ali Maxwell on Birmingham's bumper business and general busyness.
The EFL Transfer Bulletin is written by Ali Maxwell, George Elek, Huw Davies, Sam Parry, Matt Watts, Craig Bradley and Riley Roberts, with the help of the NTT20 Squad.
The Tigers Who Came To Tea…
It’s not often you see such a dramatic shift in the destination of new signings. The scales have tipped from a chaotic splurge of League Two transfers to a rebalancing in the middle and at the top. The Championship and League One have come to the tea party, but who has the biggest appetite?
Bright Osayi-Samuel (RB/RWB/RW) - [Fenerbahçe - Birmingham] - Free
Kyogo Furuhashi (ST) - [Rennes - Birmingham] - Undisclosed
Kanya Fujimoto (AM) - [Gil Vicente - Birmingham] - Free
Six signings in the space of a week for Blues, with this trio joining James Beadle, Tommy Doyle and Demarai Gray from Friday’s bulletin. There’s a lot to unpack. Across the NTT20.COM team, I think it’s fair to say there is a range of reactions to these signings. Some are dazzled; others are doubtful.
Four and a half years after leaving QPR for Fenerbahçe, Bright Osayi-Samuel is back in the Championship. The explosive QPR winger from 2019-21 is now more likely to be found at right-back and right wing-back. That’s where he played for Fenerbahçe (and plays for Nigeria), finishing 2nd in the Süper Lig in all four full seasons. The positional switch makes sense: Osayi-Samuel’s speed over distance was his most eye-catching attribute, rather than goals and assists, or quality in tight spaces.
BOS will likely compete with Ethan Laird for that RB spot. Birmingham’s right-back generally joins the front line in attack so this should be a role that suits BOS, and a good fit all round. He can also offer something different in wide forward roles if needed. The question mark is over availability, as Osayi-Samuel started only 10, 21 and 15 league games in the last three seasons, with a maximum of 1,750 minutes. Can he handle the jump to a more demanding schedule and higher-intensity football played at higher intensity?
Then there’s Kyogo Furuhashi. I feel like I’ve heard Ian Crocker, Sky Sports’ Scottish football commentator, scream his name in every SPL game I’ve watched in the last few years. A total of 63 non-penalty goals at 0.77 per 90 minutes over his time in Scotland was sensational output, nae doot aboot it. As a diminutive striker with a lovely burst of acceleration and good movement, he feasted up top for a team that dominated almost every single opponent. His scoring record with Vissel Kobe in Japan was good, too.
There’s an absolutely enormous elephant in the room. What on Earth happened at Rennes? Kyogo joined in February, and – our sources say – was keen to prove that he could thrive at a more challenging level in order to get back into the reckoning for Japan’s national team. He started his first match against Strasbourg, had 7 touches in 61 minutes, and never started again. Chris Davies knows Kyogo from working with him at Celtic and will back himself to get the 30-year-old going again, but it seems that Kyogo’s game did not translate at all well to Ligue 1.
Perhaps it’s not too much of a surprise, because Kyogo is a pure poacher – tenacious but not strong nor powerful, and not involved much outside the box in terms of linking play, receiving the ball to feet or challenging physically. He’s the sort of striker that has, in the main, been going out of fashion, and very few thrive or even exist in the Championship at the moment.
What does this do for Jay Stansfield, last summer’s big attacking signing? On paper, Kyogo and Stansfield don’t seem like an obvious fit in terms of complementing each other’s skill sets. Then again, I certainly wouldn’t want to be a centre-back trying to pass it round the pair, or trying to defend quick counter-attacks against them.
Lastly, Kanya Fujimoto becomes Birmingham’s third Japanese squad member, joining after five seasons with Gil Vicente in Portugal. A left-footed attacking player, he seems a nice fit positionally: with either Laird or Osayi-Samuel providing the width on the right, Chris Davies needs his right winger to thrive in the half-space, and that’s where Fujimoto operates.
From a qualitative point of view, it’s hard to say how his game will translate from the Portuguese top flight to the English second tier. Our favourite Portuguese football expert had this to say:
Birmingham City have main character energy right now. They’re confident, they’re loud, they’re making a splash. So far in this window, they’ve signed half a new team – some peak-age free transfers, two premium loanees and, in Kyogo, an expensive outlay on the idea of ‘guaranteed goals’ (reports on the fee vary from £10m to ‘£4m with another shedload in bonuses’). The names are catching the eyes of Championship football fans, and some beady ones are seeing red flags. The stated ambition is to win promotion and it’ll be fascinating to see how they go.
Championship
Amari’i Bell (LCB/LB/LWB) - [Luton - Charlton] - Free
As the latest former Luton player (and Jamaican international) to check in at The Valley, Bell won’t be short of familiar faces in the Charlton dressing room. The versatile left-sided defender will add more Championship experience to Nathan Jones’ newly-promoted Addicks. He was arguably one of the most underrated members of Luton’s 2022/23 promotion-winning side; however, injuries have seemingly taken their toll on the 31-year-old, who struggled for the Hatters last season. If Bell can get back to his best, then he could be a very useful addition.
David Button (GK) - [Reading - Ipswich] - Free
While others may not consider this signing worthy of the ‘Here we go!’ treatment, we believe in justice for third-choice goalkeepers. Unlike his namesake, Benjamin, Button isn’t getting any younger, so the 36-year-old will support Ipswich’s younger goalkeepers alongside his playing duties.
Odel Offiah (RB/CB) - [Brighton - Preston] - Undisclosed (reported £1m)
Offiah arrives at Deepdale following an impressive League One campaign with West Lancashire rivals Blackpool – and yes, he is related to Martin. While he won’t be switching codes, he does bring real versatility: the 22-year-old made 28 appearances at full-back and 12 at centre-back in 2024/25. Although he probably fits best as a full-back in a four, he could easily slot in at Preston as the right-sided centre-back in a three, because they frequently operate in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1. He’s confident carrying the ball, tackles well, and looks ready for the step up to Championship level. Signed on a four-year deal for a reported £1 million, Offiah feels like a smart addition for PNE.
Tyler Bindon (CB) - [Nottingham Forest - Sheffield United] - Loan
Two former Royals reunite, as Bindon joins Rubén Sellés’ Sheffield United on a season-long loan deal. While some Blades seem to have turned their noses up at Bindon, others are aware of the Kiwi’s ability and potential. The 20-year-old has an excellent passing range, in addition to being a very good all-round defender. Bindon forged a formidable partnership with Amadou Mbengue last season as Reading overcame adversity to finish 7th in League One. It was no surprise when Nottingham Forest snapped him up on Deadline Day in February, just as it was no surprise when he won Reading’s Player of the Season award in May. The former LAFC youngster was also included in Matt’s Alternative EFL Team of the Season.
Maksym Talovierov (CB) - [Plymouth - Stoke] - Undisclosed (reported £1.5m to £2m)
Talovierov’s stay in Plymouth was short but impactful. He’ll be fondly remembered by Argyle fans, not just for scoring the opening goal in the valiant FA Cup defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad, but for celebrating every tackle, header and block with as much gusto as he could muster. It’s believed that Argyle will recoup the same fee as the one they parted with in January when they signed Talovierov from LASK Linz, so it’s fair to assume that either a relegation clause or a gentleman’s agreement was in place.
Stoke badly needed defensive reinforcements, and this represents an upgrade to their backline. We’re in a different era now, but fans may love their giant Ukrainian centre-back as much as they loved Messrs Huth and Shawcross.
Divin Mubama (ST) - [Manchester City - Stoke] - Loan
Mubama, an England youth international, is a serial scorer at youth level and has even bagged competitive senior goals for both West Ham and Manchester City. It seems right, then, that the 20-year-old is deemed talented enough for his first senior loan to land him in the Championship. Mubama fits the all-round No.9 build that teams are looking for these days; he could well have a big career ahead of him, and Stoke will hope he can show that potential straight away.
Ethan Galbraith (CM/RB) - [Leyton Orient - Swansea] - Undisclosed (reported £1.5m)
One of League One’s standout performers steps up to the Championship. Leyton Orient couldn’t quite get promotion over the line last season, losing the play-off final to Charlton, but they emerged from the campaign to enormous credit, with plenty of that going towards Galbraith. The 24-year-old Northern Ireland international was a driving force for Orient, whether in central midfield (during the first half of the season) or at right-back (during the second).
Galbraith’s versatility is central to his game, yet it also poses the question of where he fits into Swansea’s XI for next season. With Melker Widell also joining the Swans, who already have Gonçalo Franco in situ, the midfield has an undersized feel to it, quality notwithstanding. We don’t have all of the pieces yet to solve this squad-build puzzle, so all eyes on Swansea’s setup in pre-season, to see if Alan Sheehan sees Galbraith inverting from right-back instead.
Vivaldo Semedo (ST) - [Udinese - Watford] - Undisclosed
More shuffling of the Pozzo pack here. Semedo scored 8 goals last season in the Portuguese second tier, roughly at a rate of one every other game. It’s not easy to predict how he’ll settle into life in the Championship, but the signing definitely conjures a frisson of excitement about the potential: the 20-year-old is a big, mobile striker and he profiles very nicely. He may start life at Watford as a bench option, however, as more signings in attack are rumoured to be on their way.
Aune Heggebø (ST) - [Brann - West Bromwich Albion] - Undisclosed
Not a giant, but strong in the air. Not a monster, but physically able to pin his marker and protect the ball well. Not quick, but boasting intelligent movement. Not elegant in possession, but rarely losing the ball. Heggebø is a man of contradictions, and that isn’t necessarily a problem. The 23-year-old Norwegian – predominantly left-footed but, you guessed, comfortable enough on his right – likes to drop deep to receive the ball before spinning away, and if Ryan Mason can figure out a way to pair him with Danish forward Tammer Bany, who arrived in February, there might not be a more disruptive duo in the league. Heggebø should be a very effective Championship striker.
League One
Thierry Gale (LW) - [Rapid Vienna - Bolton] - Undisclosed
The boy from Bridgetown, Barbados has made his way to Bolton. Gale made his international debut at 15 and moved from Barbados to Budapest Honvéd at 17; now he’s 23, and the highlight of his career so far has been one standout season in the Georgian top flight, with a few bits and bobs in Hungary, Austria and Poland. A brief video scout showed a small, speedy winger who loves to drive at full-backs, with questionable shot selection and technique. A bit of a punt, perhaps, but it’s damned good fun.
Amario Cozier-Duberry (RW) - [Brighton - Bolton] - Loan
As a general rule, if you get signed by Brighton, you’re good. If you’re able to reject a new contract at Arsenal in search of a better pathway, you’re probably good. Amario Cozier-Duberry has experienced both of those. The fact that he was sent to a top-half Championship side for his first senior loan last season says a lot about how highly rated he is. That move to Blackburn didn’t work out, and he’s dropping down a division here, but there’s truly no shame in that. Young players often need time, such is the jump from youth football to the real thing, and a poor first loan should never have you written off.
ACD is a winger who looks to drive and then cut in and shoot, and we’d liken his potential impact at Bolton to that of fellow double-barrelsman Jesurun Rak-Sakyi at Charlton a few years ago.
Michael Craig (RB/CM) - [Reading - Leyton Orient] - Free
Announced by Leyton Orient as a right-back, you’d imagine Craig would be taking up that position, where he predominantly featured during his last season at Reading. Initially a central midfielder, he volunteered to cover the right-back position in 2024/25 due to Reading having a couple of injuries in that area, and it may just become the 22-year-old’s permanent home. Orient were blessed with Ethan Galbraith playing each of the two roles last season, so with Galbraith gone, why not bring in another who can do both?
Craig has all of the technical ability and footballing brain you’d expect from a player who came from the high-class Spurs academy, and you’d imagine he’ll only get better under Richie Wellens.
Idris El Mizouni (CM) - [Oxford - Leyton Orient] - Undisclosed
Addressing the need in the middle of the park leads Leyton Orient to throw a chunk of the Galbraith money at Oxford for the signature of O’s favourite El Mizouni, for a club-record fee. The 24-year-old had two loan spells from Ipswich to Orient, helping them to win promotion from League Two in 2023, before transferring to Oxford in the Championship, where things quite simply didn’t work out.
Orient seem to have come out on the other side of the potentially tricky Galbraith departure quite nicely. Two players of good quality are in to replace one out, with a nice amount of change left to further boost the squad across the rest of the window. Speaking of which…
Aaron Connolly (ST) - [Millwall - Leyton Orient] - Free
We were positive about Connolly’s move to Millwall in January, and even though he then scored only once (also having a penalty saved), we’re feeling positive about this one as well. The striker rarely gave opponents a moment’s rest, dragging defenders out of position and harrying them out of possession. Include his prior half-season at Sunderland in 2024/25 and Connolly also won 40 fouls (including the aforementioned penalty) in just 896 minutes, which is bonkers.
More than anything else, he worked hard, and once you add that to the 25-year-old’s openness about his well-documented off-field issues in the past, it just may not be a cause for concern any more. Leyton Orient apparently feel that way, giving Connolly a two-year contract, and if Richie Wellens can work some man-management magic then there’s a chance they’ve just made a very canny signing.
Ryley Towler (CB) - [Portsmouth - Lincoln] - Undisclosed
In fits and starts, Towler has shown that he should be capable at League One level without ever really having had the chance to shine at Pompey – circumstances and competition just never allowed it. He should get that opportunity at a Lincoln City side who had only two centre-backs on the books until now. At Portsmouth, and on loan at AFC Wimbledon, Towler was regarded as a good egg – someone who leaves it all out there – but he’s at an age where he needs a full season. Perhaps this can be a breakout season for the 23-year-old defender.
Jake Richards (CM) - [Exeter - Luton] - Compensation
It's rare to see a player with 32 senior first-team appearances before their 18th birthday, but that’s the case with Luton’s new signing. And yet Richards was arguably underused by Exeter last season. The talented midfielder dipped in and out of their team after breaking through, which could be seen as a concerted approach to his development, but watching potential minutes in the engine room go to team-mates in their mid-to-late-thirties teammates may have left Richards frustrated – not ideal for Exeter when there's an unsigned contract sat on the table. He’ll have had no shortage of suitors, with clubs aware that it would take only a compensation package to sign him.
Richards signing for Luton, in particular, is intriguing. Playing in the same division, will he have more or less gametime than before? Will it continue to come in League One, or will he be restricted to cup minutes? The answers will present themselves in due course, but Luton have a techically gifted left-footed craftsman with the hips of a Salsa dancer to Cha-Cha with.
Brendan Wiredu (CB/CM) - [Fleetwood - Plymouth Argyle] - Undisclosed (reported £300,000)
From the Fylde coast to Devon’s south coast, Wiredu moves down the country but jumps up a division to join Plymouth. The 25-year-old spent three seasons at Fleetwood, playing over 100 times, primarily as a central midfielder at first but increasingly at centre-back, and occasionally at full-back. It feels likeliest that he’ll stay in defence now, especially with Plymouth having just lost Maxi Talovierov. Wiredu has excellent physical attributes but he’s also tidy in possession, and having worn the armband for the Cod Army, the former Colchester man will add much-needed leadership to Tom Cleverley’s new-look Argyle.
Aribim Pepple (ST) - [Luton - Plymouth Argyle] - Undisclosed
Bim Pepple has had a hard time of it since making the switch from Canada to England in 2022. He joined Luton but has spent almost all of his time since out on loan, and in the first three of those loans he managed just 1 league goal in 30 appearances across League 2, the National League and Scottish Championship. Last season was split between two more productive loans, first in non-league with Southend (23 appearances in all competitions, 11 goals) and then in League Two with Chesterfield (21 and 5). His five Chesterfield goals all coming from inside the six-yard box may give you some indication on the type of centre-forward Pepple is, though he did also miss some huge chances for the Spireites. There are certainly doubts over whether he’s ready to play in League One.
Fin Burns (CB) - [Manchester City - Reading] - Loan
It was a bad loan for Burns at Hull last season, but we think a case of ‘good player, bad situation’ more than anything else. The 22-year-old is strikingly tall – natural centre-back material – but when on loan to Stevenage in 2023/24, he was often used as a holding midfielder. That, and his Manchester City upbringing, tells you all you need to know about his technical level. Burns joins a Reading side who lost their starting centre-back, Tyler Bindon, after his loan (back) came to an end, so he has big shoes to fill, but he looks like a smart replacement.
Matty Jacob (LB) - [Hull - Reading] - Loan
This one is every bit a ‘makes sense for all parties’ loan signing. Reading have been short of a natural left-back who’d be allowed into a Vegas casino, whilst Matty Jacob, at 24, has only 815 Championship minutes to his name. The Royals get a battling full-back – a noisy defender who will put his body on the line – and could also push Andre Garcia into a more advanced role, while Jacob gets a proper crack at first-team action. The squad isn’t all round pegs in round holes yet, but it’s moving in that direction.
Callum Wright (AM) - [Plymouth Argyle - Wigan] - Loan
Although it’s only a season-long loan, we can assume from the heartfelt farewell message sent to the Green Army, combined with his Plymouth contract expiring in 12 months’ time, that this move signals the end of Wright’s time with Argyle. The attacking midfielder never overlapped with Wigan manager Ryan Lowe at Plymouth, but has commented that he’ll be suited by his fellow Scouser’s brand of football – Wigan’s squad build indicates they may be playing with two No.10s behind a striker this season, which would give Wright licence to get on the ball. The 25-year-old will certainly be suited by the drop back in grade to League One: he was a pivotal part of Argyle’s title-winning squad in 2022/23 but didn’t quite kick on in the Championship.
League Two
Luke Southwood (GK) - [Bolton - Bristol Rovers] - Undisclosed
Despite already having two young goalkeepers on the books, in Jed Ward and Brad Young, Gas opt to add further depth with the signing of Southwood. Unlike his younger counterparts, he arrives with a wealth of experience, having accumulated the majority of his minutes in League One and the Championship, and you’d expect that to make him a steady presence at this level. The move also marks a reunion of sorts, as Southwood previously played under manager Darrell Clarke at Cheltenham. Clarke highlighted the 27-year-old’s composure on the ball as a key reason behind the signing, hinting at a more possession-based style of play for the Gas this season.
Taine Anderson (LB) - [Bristol City - Cheltenham] - Loan
Cheltenham had a hole at left-back, filled by Bristol City youngster Anderson, who, in his words, likes to get forward and put crosses in. Anderson is the 12th Bristol City player to move on loan to Cheltenham in the last 10 seasons; Cameron Pring made a similar move and Anderson will be hoping to develop in a similar way.
Dion Pereira (RW) - [Luton - Crawley] - Free
The Antigua & Barbuda international was a constant threat in the National League last season, so it’s no surprise to see him awarded with an opportunity to play in the EFL, and not much of a surprise to see Crawley being the ones to give it to him. Pereira has played at this level before: when he was a Luton player, Pereira was loaned to League Two three times and managing just 3 goal contributions in 38 games for Bradford and Sutton. It seems strange, then, to suggest that Crawley should be excited by this signing – but Pereira has been excellent over the past 18 months in the National League, showcasing all of the ability that had him highly-rated when making Premier League cameos at Watford. The 26-year-old is able to play on both sides and he’s a superbly tricky winger, with some real creativity.
Louis Flower (ST) - [Brighton - Crawley] - Free
Joining Crawley on a one-year deal seemingly makes this something of an extended trial for 20-year-old Louis Flower. He’s a 1-in-3 scorer at U18 and U21 level, who got a taste of senior football at the end of last season with Gateshead, but played only four times before picking up an injury that ended his season. He did win two penalties in his final appearance, mind, and looked ‘a real handful’. Flower is a pacy, in-behind type of striker with an eye for goal, who could do very well if he can adapt to senior football.
Barry Cotter (RWB) - [Barnsley - Notts County] - Loan
Cotter finds himself dropping into League Two on loan after more than 70 games in two and a half years at Barnsley, and you’d imagine this’ll be a move that suits all involved. He hasn’t been the most consistent performer at Oakwell but is very impressive physically and has the energy to cause problems. Notts needed some inspiration from this transfer window, following the strange managerial appointment and departures of key players, and Cotter is likely to give them that – with bursting runs and a desire to beat his man, he’ll give County fans something exciting to watch.
Jack Stevens (LW) - [Solihull Moors - Oldham] - Undisclosed
Stevens was an Oxford United youth academy graduate who was actually hired back as a full-time youth coach in 2022 while playing part-time for Banbury United. The problem was that Stevens was doing too well. He moved from Banbury to Solihull, where he leaves having scored 24 goals in 65 games over the last three seasons. Stevens reached another level after being moved out to the left wing; Oldham played 3-5-2 for most of last term but the signings of Stevens, Luke Hannant and Kieron Morris surely suggest a switch to 4-3-3 or similar.
Ryan Woods (CM) - [Exeter - Oldham] - Free
At 31, Woods doesn’t run very much nor very quickly, but he’s certainly got the technical ability to mitigate against it, albeit at an increasingly low level – eight seasons in the Championship gave way to three in League One, and now League Two. The deep midfield operator’s arrival makes it a dozen players over 30 in this Oldham squad, and joins an impressive-looking central midfield unit that will allow Micky Mellon to take a horses-for-courses approach to selection.
The EFL Transfer Bulletin is published every Tuesday and Friday during the Summer Window. Thanks for reading!
"As a general rule, if you get signed by Brighton, you’re good"
Ezequiel Schelotto and Gaetan Bong - are we a joke to you
Watched a bit of Bright and his pace and physicality are the obvious strengths. Suspect he and Laird will share duties as both tend to miss a few games and the RB position is very demanding in Davies' system.
I'm also curious about the Japanese pair,Davies likes the application of East Asian players but Yokoyama was quickly shipped out by Davies despite his attacking talent and Fujimoto seems similarly weak defensively. As for Kyogo, feels like a Wagner statement signing. Don't know what happened at Rennes but the manager that signed him left and his replacement didn't fancy the striker. The Championship isn't the Scottish Prem or the J League but he's scored in old firm games and the champions league so fingers crossed he thrives. Both also have persistent injury issues apparently.
Are Blues setting up to play a bit more on the counter, particularly away from home? We've signed a lot of pace...