EFL Transfer Bulletin #13 – Matusiwa and Kipré headline Ipswich’s French connection, Tranmere sign Richie Smallwood, and Millwall splurge for Sturge
The latest done deals in the EFL, and in focus: where do Championship sides need to strengthen ahead of the new season?
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.
Wish you were here…
In terms of incomings, four clubs are yet to feature in our transfer bulletins. Cardiff City are busy sunning themselves in Spain, as Brian Barry-Murphy gets to know his new squad. Rob Edwards is doing the same with Middlesbrough in Portugal. Postcards now, contracts later.
Then you have Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City, who probably do wish they were here, announcing signings. A transfer embargo at the former and a looming points deduction at the latter have crystallised off-field problems at each, with financial fears at the fore. At the very least, as these bulletins have shown, they’ll be playing catch-up.
But enough about them. Recline on yon deckchair and feast your eyes on a Moroccan winger, Dutch midfielder, a Scot signed from Belgium and… Richie Smallwood!
What do Championship clubs need ahead of the season?
Craig Bradley
Birmingham: Cover and competition for Alex Cochrane at left-back, with Lee Buchanan out until 2026. Must be comfortable tucking in as a third centre-back in possession.
Blackburn: A Tyrhys Dolan replacement to ease the creative burden on Cantwell, Hedges and Kargbo.
Bristol City: A new keeper, with Max O'Leary out for the first 3–4 months of the season through injury, allowing Joe Lumley to remain in the backup role.
Charlton: A creative outlet from the right — someone to replicate the dynamism lost with Thierry Small's departure.
Coventry: A central midfield enforcer to balance out a group full of 'nice types'.
Derby: Improved and increased options on each flank, with current choices limited to Corey Blackett-Taylor and potentially Kayden Jackson.
Hull: A focal-point No.9 to lead the line — they currently go into the season with only Kyle Joseph and Mason Burstow as striker options.
Ipswich: Another central midfielder to complement recent signing Azor Matusiwa.
Leicester: A forward to compete with Patson Daka, currently the only recognised senior striker in the squad.
Middlesbrough: Plenty of requirements, but a right-back to replace the declining Luke Ayling may be the most critical — hence the reported bid for Blackburn's Callum Brittain.
Millwall: A Mihailo Ivanovic contingency plan.
Norwich: A midfield ‘Soldier’ to let the ‘Artists’ paint — even more crucial if Pelle Mattsson of Silkeborg joins as expected.
Oxford: A target-man type No.9. Sparta Rotterdam's Tobias Lauritsen is linked and would tick the box.
Portsmouth: Midfield reinforcements are key, with Marlon Pack, Andre Dozzell and Abdoulaye Kamara the current options.
Preston: The striker pool of Milutin Osmajic, Will Keane and Daniel Jebbison needs at least one more reliable option.
QPR: Poku, Chair and Dembele look great on paper as the three behind the striker, but playing all three might leave them soft out of possession. A presser or disruptor would add balance.
Southampton: Saints mostly need to trim the squad. But if Gavin Bazunu is expected to start and Aaron Ramsdale does depart (should someone match his fee), they may want to bring in a new No.1.
Stoke: Junior Tchamadeu improved at right-back as last season progressed, but there's no depth behind him should injury or form become a concern.
Sheffield United: Transitioning from Chris Wilder to Rubén Sellés raises recruitment questions. Does Vini Souza need a like-for-like replacement? Perhaps more pressing: another central defender in case Anel Ahmedhodžić moves on.
Sheffield Wednesday: Embargoed… bodies!
Swansea: Their midfield would be champions in its own weight class, but Gonçalo Franco, Melker Widell and Ethan Galbraith could use a player with size and stature alongside them.
Watford: If Mileta Rajović leaves, the remaining strikers — Hurtado, Semedo and Doumbia — will be aged 21, 20 and 19. Luca Kjerrumgaard is expected to join from Odense (via Udinese), but at 22, he's another developing option. They look short on know-how up top.
West Brom: The Baggies would lose a lot of creativity if either Tom Fellows or Mikey Johnston leave. A winger contingency plan is needed.
Wrexham: Phil Parkinson’s side are pretty well equipped for what they are. Maybe the one thing missing is a statement of intent. Links to Lewis Travis have gone cold, but signing a player from a divisional rival would put down a marker.
Championship
Joe Rankin-Costello (RB/CM/RM) - [Blackburn - Charlton] - Undisclosed (reported £750,000)
A Jack Joe of many trades, Rankin-Costello is incredibly versatile. He can play almost anywhere in defence and midfield. Like many similar players down the years, JRC’s versatility has possibly worked against him. At Ewood Park, he became a utility player who was an excellent bench option, but not good enough to command a regular place in the starting lineup. The Rovers academy graduate excelled for a time at right back under Jon Dahl Tomasson, but the time had probably come for him to fly the nest. Strong in the tackle, good with both feet and with energy to burn, Nathan Jones seems intent on using the 25-year-old in midfield.
Cedric Kipré (CB) - [Reims - Ipswich] - Loan
Ipswich reportedly have an obligation to buy Kipré for £3.9m upon promotion, which is ironically when they’d want to move him on (probably on loan to a freshly-relegated Burnley, only to leave on loan again when they’re promoted, and so on). But Kipré, 28, does fill a need: George Edmundson and Cameron Burgess have both left Ipswich in the past six months, and the Ivorian, alongside Luke Woolfenden, can be a reliable understudy to Jacob Greaves and Dara O’Shea.
So, what’s Kipré been up to in the 12 months since he left the Championship? Well, he played regularly in Ligue 1 for Reims, except when suspended for two red cards in four appearances during the run-in (one of them after five minutes), and although Reims were relegated in a play-off, their defence wasn’t to blame – incredibly, they finished 16th with 47 goals conceded while Le Havre were 15th with 71. Kipre actually got forward in possession a bit, which Ipswich won’t mind on the many occasions where they’ll face a low block, but he isn’t Beckenbauer and they don’t need him to be. Solid squad-building.
Azor Matusiwa (CM) - [Rennes - Ipswich] - Undisclosed
Central midfield was always going to be a key area for Ipswich’s recruitment team this transfer window. Premier League loanees Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips have departed, and Massimo Luongo was also released. That left only veteran Sam Morsy, the not-fully-trusted Jack Taylor and Cameron Humphreys, back from a loan at Wycombe, as the remaining options from last season, with all three entering the final year of their contracts.
In a marquee signing, Ipswich have announced the arrival of Rennes midfielder Azor Matusiwa. French media report the fee to be around €11.5 million, though local Ipswich sources suggest it may be €2.5 million less. Ipswich were arguably exposed in the foreign market following their promotion from the Championship two seasons ago, but this summer’s activity, with two of three signings coming from Ligue 1, suggests a more targeted approach.
The 27-year-old Matusiwa profiles closely to Morsy and is expected to replace, rather than partner, the Egyptian in midfield. That points to at least one more addition to come in Ipswich’s engine room.
Zak Sturge (LB) - [Chelsea - Millwall] - Undisclosed
SW6 to SE16 — Millwall sign young left-back Sturge after having him on loan in the second half of last season. While the club's description of "a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee" is nice and ambiguous, this ticks the boxes of Millwall's current recruitment proclivities: in the 18-24 age range, strong pedigree after a youth career at Brighton and Chelsea, and playing a position (left-back) where any young, athletic performers are likely to have a spike in transfer value. Sturge waited patiently as Joe Bryan performed well at left-back, and then impressed in three starts at the end of the season. He's taken the #3 shirt — all eyes on who starts at left-back on opening day.
Othmane Maamma (RW) - [Montpellier - Watford] - Undisclosed
Tricky winger Othmane Maamma becomes the latest player to swap continental Europe for Vicarage Road. The Moroccan winger burst onto the scene in May 2024 with a goal against Lens on his full debut for Montpellier. La Paillade (the straw bed or the hay bed) had high hopes for the talented youngster, but a mixture of fitness and disciplinary issues have seen them cash in on the 19-year-old following their relegation to Ligue 2. Maamma has already impressed at Watford and plans to loan him out this season have reportedly been shelved.
League One
Tyreeq Bakinson (CM) - [Wycombe - Leyton Orient] - Undisclosed
After an underwhelming season at Wycombe, Tyreeq Bakinson arrives at Brisbane Road to help fill Leyton Orient’s void in central midfield. Richie Wellens is a long-term admirer of the 26-year-old, who is a known quantity to many fans of the third tier. Bakinson is a box-to-box midfielder with good athleticism and tenacity. At this point in his career, the former Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday man is yet to fulfil his undoubted potential, so this feels like the perfect time for him to link up with a coach like Wellens.
Joe Gardner (ST) - [Nottingham Forest - Mansfield] - Loan
Stags sign a young forward who made just 4 starts and 11 appearances in total whilst on loan with Lincoln in League One in the second half of last season. He scored once and was sent off in record time as a substitute. But that wouldn’t have put off any suitors. He made an impact with Imps, even if he was only used sparingly. As the new season swings around, the 20-year-old will be looking to take the next step in his development. Pacy and capable of playing through the middle or off the left, he should bring an attacking oomph that Mansfield were lacking.
Joe Wormleighton (RB) - [Leicester - Northampton] - Free
Northampton join Oldham to become the second team with double-digit incomings this transfer window, but the first to reach 10 without the subsidising of loans. 21-year-old right-back Joe Wormleighton joins after his release from Leicester, having no experience of any senior loans in his career. He will compete for the right-sided defender berth with fellow new joiner Jack Burroughs. Wormleighton featured for Leicester under-21s in last season's EFL Trophy, where he came up against new employers in the group stage. Talent identification coincidence? Or is that Cobblers?
Mark O’Mahony (ST) - [Brighton - Reading] - Loan
Last season’s Championship loan to Pompey may have come a bit too soon for Mark O’Mahony, but the signs were there, and a drop to League One should be the platform he needs to really kick on. O’Mahony has a very good record at youth level for Brighton, and the signs are there – he’s a natural finisher with lively movement. The physicality of senior football is what O’Mahony needs to get used to, but at only 20, he has time on his side, and you should know by now that writing off youngsters after early-career struggles out on loan is not at all sensible.
Beryly Lubala (LW/RW) - [Wycombe - Stevenage] - Free
Stevenage have brought in two new recruits, and it’s a double raid on Wycombe Wanderers, with Bez Lubala and Jasper Pattenden coming through the doors. Lubala is a left-sided forward who has also featured on the right and as a #9, he’s a hard worker and has an eye for goal, often capable of a moment of magic. He’s not played loads of football in his career despite being 27, but tends to be respected by fans and should be a solid addition for Boro.
Jasper Pattenden (RB/RWB) - [Wycombe - Stevenage] - Undisclosed
Pattenden on the other hand is a right winger turned right back, who started his senior career with Worthing aged just 16. He’s 23 now and has been at Wycombe since 2022, where he’d never really been a key figure despite being somewhat of a fan favourite. Pattenden loves a big tackle and is a player with loads of energy who can have an impact at either end of the pitch, which probably makes him a good fit for Alex Revell’s Stevenage.
Ewan Henderson (AM/RW) - [Beerschot - Wycombe] - Undisclosed
Wycombe’s wandering eye takes them overseas once more. Henderson starred on loan at Oostende in Belgium’s second tier before a less sparkling season with Beerschot as they suffered relegation from the Pro League. Described in the club’s announcement as a box-to-box midfielder with energy, flying Scotsman Henderson comes from a well-travelled family, with brother Liam the record holder for most Serie A appearances by a Scotsman. This is their fifth signing from outside the UK in 2025 (Van Sas, Hagelskjær, Westergaard, Fink) as well as three players brought in from Scotland (Lowry, Casey, Boyd-Munce). It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what sort of level to expect from Wycombe in the new season, after a downwards-trending 5th placed finish, a well-churned squad and a manager beginning the season under scrutiny.
League Two
Sam Waller (GK) - [Burnley - Crewe] - Loan
Crewe got good production out of a loan goalkeeper last season when Aston Villa's Filip Marschall kept nets without missing a minute of action, helping The Railwaymen to the 6th-best defensive record in League Two. Manager Lee Bell will be hoping for more of the same from the incoming Sam Waller of Burnley. Waller played 20 matches on loan with National League Rochdale last season, to date that's the highest level at which the 21-year-old has featured. Waller's season was cut short sharply when he was assisted off the pitch carrying an injury in the 72nd minute of Rochdale's 4-0 defeat to York on March 25th, going on to miss the final nine league games. Crewe had also future-proofed their goalkeeping department earlier this summer by giving their own Tom Booth a new 2-year contract.
Richie Smallwood (CM) - [Bradford - Tranmere] - Free
If not the heartbeat, Smallwood was certainly a powerful ventricle of a League Two promotion in 24/25 with Bradford. Many fans would’ve kept the 34-year-old on their books. But once released, he surely had many suitors and has opted for Tranmere. Their business has already been much more expansive than last season. The squad is better. And they’ve now brought in a midfield general for League Two level. Smallwood has a great passing range and the smarts to break up play. He will almost certainly need some legs around him, and you’d think Nohan Kenneh was brought in for exactly that reason.
The EFL Transfer Bulletin is published every Tuesday and Friday during the Summer Window. Thanks for reading!