EFL Transfer Bulletin #19 – Kamari Doyle is a Royal, Soumaré signs for Blades, and Bristol Rovers make one of League Two's most interesting signings
The latest 31 done deals in the EFL, and in focus: the gaps that needs plugging in League One and League Two
🚨 Features: Weekend Notes | 25/26 Transfer Window | Season Previews
🖋️ Writers: Ali Maxwell | George Elek | Huw Davies | Sam Parry | Guests
🎙️ Podcasts: Under The Lights | Dear Ali & George…
The EFL Transfer Bulletin is written by Ali Maxwell, George Elek, Huw Davies, Sam Parry, Matt Watts, Craig Bradley, Ed Stratmann and Riley Roberts, with the help of the NTT20 Squad.
It’s that time of the window…
The season has already begun, at least for League One and League Two clubs, and a remarkable number of signings have jumped straight into first-team action. Medical on Thursday, announced on Friday, played on Saturday, chilled on Sunday – this is the tale of football’s Solomon Grundys.
We cover them all, and more, in today’s bulletin.
“Oh Lord, won’t you buy me…”
We’ve had opening weekend, and we’ve had a chance to dissect it. What’s missing? Who is missing? And who is missing what and who the most?
🟩 League One
Lincoln City – Right-sided attacker – Rob Street started as Jovon Makama’s replacement (more on him later). They need a 1v1 specialist out wide – a difference-maker.
Northampton Town – Wing-backs, wide forwards, striker – Huge gaps, despite a dozen incomings already. Multiple attacking and flank roles need attention.
Plymouth Argyle – Striker – The #9 squad number was left open and on Saturday, attacking midfielder Caleb Watts started up front with new signings Owen Oseni and Bim Pepple absent (Oseni on the bench, Pepple injured). A new centre-back wouldn’t go amiss, either.
Reading – Striker and/or wide forwards – The attack lacked impact against Lincoln. They’ve taken steps to improve in the final third with the signing of Kamari Doyle, but could another striker help things further?
Rotherham United – Strong central defender – Sean Raggett’s fitness is unreliable; Lenny Agbaire looks good but a little green; others (Joe Rafferty, Reece James, Zak Jules) are wide CBs. The team struggled late on against Port Vale and will need to defend their box better.
🟦 League Two
Bromley – Right wing-back – With Carl Jenkinson injured, Marcus Ifill made his first ever league start on Saturday at RWB. Idris Odutayo, a left-sider, replaced him off the bench. It doesn’t need to be a Danny Imray clone, but it needs to be someone.
Bristol Rovers – Central midfielder (#8) – Josh McEachran and Kamil Conteh both prefer to play deeper, but they need more thrust and connection between defence and attack. Isaac Hutchinson should provide this, but another box-to-box option would be helpful.
Colchester United – Striker – Samson Tovide seems likely to leave, Lyle Taylor hasn’t signed a contract to stay and Will Goodwin is injury prone. A target man type would fit the bill.
Crawley Town – Right wing-back – Harry McKirdy started at RWB on Saturday. Now, Crawley and Scott Lindsey are known for using atypical player profiles in wing-back roles, but come on!
Gillingham – Wide attackers – At the weekend, Bradley Dack played tucked in from the right, Joe Gbode off the left, and there were no wide forwards on the bench. Hakeeb Adelakun is still without a club…
Championship
Lewis Miller (RB) - [Hibernian - Blackburn] - Undisclosed
As Callum Brittain exits stage left for Middlesbrough (spoiler alert), the spotlight at Blackburn shifts to his replacement. It’s easy to see why Miller was identified as a target. Physically, he mirrors Brittain’s profile: he’s close to 6ft tall and strong in the air, with good upper-body strength, while being eager to push forward. Technically, however, Miller is a step below Brittain. He can be inconsistent in possession and occasionally hesitates when space opens up ahead of him.
Still, at 24 Miller is three years younger and may have untapped potential. He spent the past three seasons with Hibs, growing in influence each year, and has recently established himself as Australia’s starting right-back during World Cup qualifying. This move feels like a natural progression in his career.
Harvey Knibbs (CM) - [Reading - Charlton] - Undisclosed
Hard work, relentless running and consistent improvement: the key features of a fantastic four seasons for Knibbs. As a fringe player for Cambridge in League Two aged 20 and 21, he forced himself into the first team with his speed, stamina and off-ball excellence, and by providing a goal threat no matter what position he played in the front line. At Reading, he played under the perfect manager in Ruben Séllés and his output skyrocketed – 32 goals and 12 assists in two seasons despite operating deeper, in a box-to-box central midfield role.
Nathan Jones has pivoted from signing former Luton players to signing a team of League One All-Stars: Sonny Carey, Tanto Olaofe, Rob Apter, Charlie Kelman and now Knibbs. Can they all meet the step up in quality together?
Rhian Brewster (ST) - [Sheffield United - Derby] - Free
Brewster’s injuries mean he is no longer the striker who plays on the shoulder of defenders – at least, it looks that way. For Sheffield United last season, his performances were certainly solid, if not stand-out, and this was for a team that accumulated 92 points. He was on the pitch for 1,570 minutes and for the rest of the time he was mostly down the pecking order rather than injured, so Derby are signing a player who is capable of more game time; it’s output that’s in question here.
Brewster has a great shot on him, and made some eye-catching passes last season as he looked to re-tune his game to a second-striker role, or as a #10, or off the right. Being team-mates with Andi Weimann could be beneficial. Both players have the bulk to look after the ball in the final third, but while Brewster has plenty of ability, he is raw for a 25-year-old. Soaking up Weimann’s smarts could help Blades’ one-time record signing to reinvent himself in a new situation.
Enis Destan (ST) - [Trabzonspor - Hull] - Free
Hull needed firepower after Mason Burstow’s loan move to Bolton left Kyle Joseph as their only senior striker. Destan is their second signing from Trabzonspor in the space of a week, following John Lundstram, and the 23-year-old arrives amid EFL-imposed restrictions on Hull paying a transfer or loan fee during the next three windows (they are appealing the decision). The result is that Hull have apparently agreed to a 50% sell-on clause in order to sign Destan on a three-year deal with the option of a fourth.
It’s anyone’s guess, though, what they could end up receiving 50% of. Destan leaves Türkiye after an injury-hit campaign brought zero goals from 18 league outings (just 5.6 90s), and his only previous campaign outside his homeland, in Poland in 2022/23, wasn’t a success, either.
Callum Brittain (RB/RWB) - [Blackburn - Middlesbrough] - Undisclosed (reported £3.5m)
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