TARGETS: National League
Ryan Deeney picks out the National League talents that clubs in the divisions above should keep an eye on ahead of the January Transfer Window.
George Elek: Season’s greetings come in different varieties, and this one sparks the start of the unofficial EFL transfers season on NTT20.COM. The January Transfer window swings open soon, and we’ll be covering all of the comings and goings, starting with this series. TARGETS goes league-by-league, looking at the players who teams in the divisions above could sign to transform their season and beyond. We start with the National League, with its advent calendar selected by expert Ryan Deeney.
Reflecting on last year’s TARGETS: NATIONAL LEAGUE, I am pretty happy with my selections of players who could step up to the EFL. Although none of the players moved in January, both George Nevett (Rochdale to Peterborough United) and Lorent Tolaj (Aldershot Town to Port Vale) graduated in the summer, as did Besart Topalloj via promotion with Bromley (though he has since dropped back down a level with Sutton United on loan). And I’m convinced that Maidenhead United’s Reece Smith will make the grade soon.
The National League remains fertile ground for EFL clubs. In January 2024, Josh Stokes joined Bristol City from Aldershot, Stephen Wearne left Gateshead for MK Dons to reunite with Mike Williamson, and Millenic Alli swapped FC Halifax Town for Exeter City.
Come the summer, they were joined in the EFL by the likes of Connor Barrett (Fylde to Walsall), Chris Conn-Clarke (Altrincham to Peterborough), Marcus Dinanga (Gateshead to Bromley), Ed Francis (Gateshead, again, to Exeter), Jamie Stott (Halifax to Morecambe), Charlie Barker (Wealdstone to Crawley), Callum Maycock and Joe Sbarra (Solihull Moors to AFC Wimbledon and Doncaster Rovers respectively).
The joy of tracking non-league is seeing those players earn an opportunity to climb the ladder. To feel a small part of what could become a fruitful journey is a wonderful thing. And with that, I bestow upon you five players who are, in my opinion, ready to follow in the footsteps of those above and make the cut in the EFL.
Whether your team needs a centre-back, a centre-mid, a winger or a striker, perhaps they’ll look at these National League names.
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