SigningLab · Annual Report

Signing Accuracy — Championship 2024/25

Published on January 13, 2025

Executive Summary

327
Real signings
315
Evaluated
45%
Clubs' average hit rate
86
Successful
136
Unsuccessful

In total we identified 327 real signings by the clubs of Championship in the 2024/25 season — academy promotions, loan returns, internal moves and transfers that never went through are excluded. Of these, 315 are included in the hit-rate calculation; 12 are youth investments (under-23 with no game time), classified separately. Signings without relevant minutes in the season count as unsuccessful.

Club Ranking

ClubLeague positionSigningsEvaluatedSuccessfulFairUnsuccessfulHit rate %SigningLab*
1Sheffield Utd1514932
75%
86%
2Middlesbrough10º1010550
75%
80%
3Coventry77502
71%
43%
4Leeds77502
71%
71%
5Preston20º77412
64%
71%
6Bristol City76312
58%
83%
7Blackburn1414644
57%
100%
8Norwich13º98332
56%
88%
9Burnley1614545
50%
93%
10Swansea11º99333
50%
67%
11Hull City21º24245109
42%
83%
12Stoke City18º1010163
40%
80%
13Sunderland99234
39%
89%
14Plymouth23º1313265
38%
92%
15Oxford United17º28266713
36%
85%
16Millwall1110235
35%
80%
17Luton22º1313337
35%
92%
18QPR15º109144
33%
89%
19Sheffield Wednesday12º1111155
32%
82%
20Derby19º30295816
31%
86%
21Cardiff24º1010145
30%
70%
22West Brom1212156
29%
92%
23Portsmouth16º34327421
28%
84%
24Watford14º1111119
14%
82%

* SigningLab: hit rate of SigningLab’s verdicts (recommend or not recommend) on each club’s evaluated signings, projected at the time of signing.

The difference between Signings and Evaluated are youth investments (under-23 with no game time in the season), classified separately. Signings without relevant minutes are unsuccessful (Did not deliver).

Season Highlights

The ten signings with the greatest technical impact of the season, according to the Player Impact Score (PIS).

PlayerClubPosMinG+AAvg ratingRatingSigningLab
Manor SolomonLeedsF260510+127.45Excellent
Michal HelikOxford UnitedD18005+07.23Excellent
Jack RudoniCoventryM360110+127.22Excellent
Harrison BurrowsSheffield UtdM37436+66.79Excellent
Ao TanakaLeedsM33325+27.05Excellent
Max BirdBristol CityM36351+87.18Excellent
Luke McNallyBristol CityD23233+16.93Excellent
Zian FlemmingBurnleyM243512+46.85Excellent
Robert AtkinsonPortsmouthD11012+16.70Excellent
Callum DoyleNorwichD34421+77.10Excellent

Methodology

Club assessment — the universe of signings

The report considers exclusively genuine signings for the first-team squad, identified by the player's effective incorporation into the group between seasons. Excluded from the universe are: academy promotions, loan returns, internal administrative moves and transfers recorded but never completed. The aim is to measure the quality of market decisions — and those alone.

Player Impact Score (PIS)

Each evaluated signing receives a score from 0 to 100 that combines four observable technical dimensions: individual performance (average match ratings over the season), output (goals, assists and decisive actions adjusted for game time), collective performance (starting status and correlation with the club's results) and availability (volume of matches, adjusted for interruptions). High-impact players with reduced game time are promoted through an alternative efficiency criterion.

Outcome classification

The rating tiers are: Excellent and Good (successful signings — a full point in the index), Fair (intermediate performance — half a point) and Below expectations / Did not deliver (unsuccessful signings). Two categories sit outside the calculation, for distinct reasons: Injury (a serious injury prevented a fair assessment) and Investment (an under-23 player with low game time — the return depends on development and cannot be counted for or against the club in this cycle). Signings that did not reach relevant game time in the season are classified as unsuccessful, reflecting the sporting cost of the decision.

A note on scope

This is SigningLab's public, simplified model, developed for transparent retrospective market assessment. SigningLab's commercial solutions for partner clubs use a substantially larger set of variables and dedicated predictive mechanisms, and are not fully reflected in this document.

Appendix — Signings by club

* Youth investment (under-23, no game time in the season) — outside the hit-rate calculation.

Blackburn (14 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Danny Batth39301620Good
Todd Cantwell37248537Excellent
Yuki Ohashi37224093Good
Makhtar Gueye44221166Good
Owen Beck24187310Good
Andreas Weimann31141572Good
Yuri Ribeiro15135001Fair
Lewis Baker2160310Fair
Adam Forshaw2158410Fair
Dion Sanderson2157600Did not deliver
Balázs Tóth3754000Below expectations
Cauley Woodrow1423501Fair
Augustus Kargbo820401Below expectations
Emmanuel Dennis817501Did not deliver

Bristol City (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Max Bird48363518Excellent
Luke McNally27232331Excellent
Yu Hirakawa45174922Good
Sinclair Armstrong42162330Below expectations
George Earthy44157031Fair
Fally Mayulu2640520Did not deliver
Stefan Bajić *48000Investment

Burnley (16 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jaidon Anthony43367287Excellent
Lucas Pires46280002Fair
Josh Laurent43245522Fair
Zian Flemming362435124Excellent
Hannibal Mejbri40193314Fair
Bashir Humphreys30177912Good
Jeremy Sarmiento39118040Fair
Marcus Edwards1694511Excellent
Joe Worrall3129801Good
Andreas Hountondji2322700Did not deliver
John Egan2617500Did not deliver
Václav Hladký469000Did not deliver
Oliver Sonne163300Did not deliver
Shurandy Sambo *51800Investment
Jonjo Shelvey51100Did not deliver
Jaydon Banel *4000Investment

Cardiff (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Calum Chambers41352021Fair
Alex Robertson39242633Good
Christopher Willock43154922Fair
Jesper Daland33143700Below expectations
William Fish38138000Fair
Anwar El Ghazi27117731Fair
Sivert Mannsverk15101001Below expectations
Wilfried Kanga2348800Did not deliver
Roko Šimić4000Did not deliver
Thomas Davies3000Did not deliver

Coventry (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jack Rudoni4436011012Excellent
Oliver Dovin38246800Good
Ephron Mason-Clark34166255Good
Brandon Thomas-Asante41153943Good
Matt Grimes17145521Excellent
Norman Bassette3793520Below expectations
Jamie Paterson158610Did not deliver

Derby (30 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Ebou Adams44379161Excellent
Jacob Widell Zetterström41360000Good
Jerry Yates423436104Fair
Kayden Jackson46257832Fair
Kane Wilson34243121Fair
Curtis Nelson27243021Fair
Marcus Harness42236843Fair
Kenzo Goudmijn46236622Fair
Nathaniel Phillips36224113Excellent
Callum Elder31215503Fair
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing42212034Good
Ben Osborn31170401Below expectations
Matthew Clarke16136610Excellent
Ryan Nyambe20112700Did not deliver
Sondre Klingen Langås15112100Below expectations
David Ozoh1071210Below expectations
Josh Vickers4554000Fair
Lars-Jørgen Salvesen848810Did not deliver
Tom Barkhuizen3740600Did not deliver
Corey Blackett-Taylor2240010Did not deliver
Sonny Bradley2330500Below expectations
James Collins2723300Did not deliver
Joe Ward1715300Did not deliver
Tawanda Chirewa *714700Investment
Kemar Roofe42600Did not deliver
Tyrese Fornah1900Did not deliver
Erik Pieters8100Did not deliver
Rohan Luthra6000Did not deliver
Jeff Hendrick6000Did not deliver
Conor Washington2000Did not deliver

Hull City (24 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Ivor Pandur46396000Good
Charlie Hughes30234811Excellent
Abu Kamara38226053Fair
João Pedro Galvão35216562Good
Steven Alzate32195001Fair
Gustavo Puerta36189500Below expectations
Cody Drameh40166211Fair
Joe Gelhardt20159850Fair
Kasey Palmer30109212Below expectations
Kyle Joseph18101800Did not deliver
Mason Burstow4496621Below expectations
Chris Bedia2393630Below expectations
Marvin Mehlem1891003Good
Mohamed Belloumi1082022Good
Matt Crooks1880730Fair
John Egan1673000Fair
Liam Millar1162012Fair
Lincoln1442101Fair
Óscar Zambrano1139811Fair
Finley Burns2732200Did not deliver
Eliot Matazo630210Below expectations
Nordin Amrabat1829501Fair
Carl Rushworth618000Did not deliver
Anthony Racioppi21000Did not deliver

Leeds (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jayden Bogle44383464Excellent
Ao Tanaka43333252Excellent
Manor Solomon3926051012Excellent
Joe Rothwell40227104Good
Largie Ramazani3980762Good
Josuha Guilavogui359800Did not deliver
Isaac Schmidt349400Did not deliver

Luton (13 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Mark McGuinness43375433Good
Tom Krauß24161524Good
Thelo Aasgaard17151621Good
Liam Walsh33141801Below expectations
Thomas Holmes26131711Fair
Isaiah Jones17131520Fair
Reuell Walters2098100Did not deliver
Christ Makosso1395901Fair
Shandon Baptiste1771910Below expectations
Lasse Selvåg Nordås1625401Below expectations
Josh Bowler1314300Did not deliver
Erik Pieters3000Did not deliver
Tim Krul37000Did not deliver

Middlesbrough (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Aidan Morris35292002Excellent
Neto Borges38289813Good
Tommy Conway362362131Excellent
Delano Burgzorg45220152Fair
George Edmundson31209310Fair
Ben Doak24178737Good
Mark Travers17153000Good
Samuel Iling Junior17107212Fair
Morgan Whittaker1799201Fair
Kelechi Iheanacho1678012Fair

Millwall (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Lukas Jensen41368900Fair
Femi Azeez34190625Good
Tristan Crama21163502Excellent
Macaulay Langstaff37140712Did not deliver
Josh Coburn20121850Fair
Luke Cundle1799210Below expectations
Aaron Connolly1766810Did not deliver
Ryan Wintle3551610Fair
Camiel Neghli *519310Investment
Calum Scanlon516910Did not deliver
Liam Roberts349100Did not deliver

Norwich (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Callum Doyle40344217Excellent
Ante Crnac39250974Good
Emiliano Marcondes33228956Good
José Córdoba38211310Fair
Anis Ben Slimane34210622Fair
Ben Chrisene32118510Below expectations
Forson Amankwah3674022Fair
Lewis Dobbin1064120Below expectations
Matěj Jurásek *48300Investment

Oxford United (28 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jamie Cumming46405000Good
Will Vaulks45334312Good
Mark Harris46291763Below expectations
Cameron Brannagan33290334Excellent
Greg Leigh37234361Good
Peter Kioso39230701Fair
Rúben Rodrigues46226643Good
Przemysław Płacheta34208933Below expectations
Elliott Moore26206512Fair
Michal Helik20180050Excellent
Sam Long43166511Fair
Siriki Dembélé29137322Fair
Ben Nelson19137310Fair
Idris El Mizouni42126312Below expectations
Hidde ter Avest36100810Fair
Matt Phillips3196502Fair
Alex Matos2194700Did not deliver
Dane Scarlett2680540Did not deliver
Joe Bennett1274800Did not deliver
Ole Romeny1959510Did not deliver
Owen Dale2036400Did not deliver
Tom Bradshaw1136300Below expectations
Louie Sibley *2016410Investment
Matt Ingram469000Did not deliver
Malcolm Ebiowei156400Did not deliver
Jay Matete0000Did not deliver
Tyler Burey0000Did not deliver
Jack Currie *0000Investment

Plymouth (13 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Kornél Szűcs40283601Fair
Daniel Grimshaw43189000Fair
Victor Pálsson42173701Fair
Rami Al Hajj35138930Fair
Nikola Katić15122510Good
Michael Obafemi32120420Did not deliver
Tymoteusz Puchacz18113701Did not deliver
Maksym Talovierov1193411Good
Ibrahim Cissoko1667231Fair
Nathanael Ogbeta4462711Did not deliver
Andre Gray1555431Below expectations
Muhamed Tijani1745121Fair
Malachi Boateng1320400Did not deliver

Portsmouth (34 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Connor Ogilvie45402841Fair
Josh Murphy423441714Good
Nicolas Schmid42309102Good
Andre Dozzell45282621Below expectations
Marlon Pack46273202Good
Colby Bishop322635113Good
Callum Lang322455102Fair
Matt Ritchie46221751Good
Regan Poole29214210Below expectations
Zak Swanson34199511Good
Jordan Williams25126800Did not deliver
Christian Saydee43116530Did not deliver
Robert Atkinson15110121Excellent
Paddy Lane22108111Did not deliver
Tom McIntyre25102100Below expectations
Isaac Hayden2295300Below expectations
Ryley Towler2993410Did not deliver
Will Norris972000Did not deliver
Adil Aouchiche1468611Fair
Mark O'Mahony2159330Below expectations
Kusini Yengi1653400Did not deliver
Conor Shaughnessy952610Fair
Cohen Bramall1747200Did not deliver
Samuel Silvera1844200Did not deliver
Elias Sørensen2033310Did not deliver
Owen Moxon2127600Did not deliver
Ben Killip218000Did not deliver
Jordan Archer3814900Did not deliver
Jacob Farrell *19000Investment
Ben Stevenson31400Did not deliver
Gavin Whyte1000Did not deliver
Tom Lowery2000Did not deliver
Ibane Bowat *1000Investment
Lee Evans0000Did not deliver

Preston (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Kaine Kesler-Hayden46367223Good
Stefán Teitur Þórðarson44252232Fair
Sam Greenwood38244153Good
Lewis Gibson20163610Good
Ryan Porteous1682310Good
Josh Bowler2046500Did not deliver
Jeppe Okkels2313300Did not deliver

QPR (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Paul Nardi45405000Fair
Jonathan Varane39260402Fair
Koki Saito39230432Fair
Nicolas Madsen41176733Good
Harrison Ashby40160701Below expectations
Liam Morrison31130700Did not deliver
Karamoko Dembélé23119534Fair
Žan Celar1994920Did not deliver
Hevertton Santos2032400Did not deliver
Esquerdinha *1000Investment

Sheffield Utd (15 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Michael Cooper47414000Excellent
Harrison Burrows49374366Excellent
Callum O'Hare49323046Excellent
Alfie Gilchrist37211602Fair
Kieffer Moore36200760Excellent
Harry Souttar22176900Good
Tyrese Campbell401764112Excellent
Jesuran Rak-Sakyi38175672Good
Hamza Choudhury19138000Fair
Sam McCallum48105320Good
Thomas Cannon1975411Fair
Harry Clarke647300Below expectations
Rob Holding1943601Good
Jamie Shackleton1830000Did not deliver
Jefferson Caceres *1000Investment

Sheffield Wednesday (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Shea Charles43363815Excellent
Yan Valery40316834Fair
Max Lowe38269400Fair
Svante Ingelsson45169515Fair
Jamal Lowe3798632Fair
Stuart Armstrong1153801Below expectations
Nathaniel Chalobah2343600Did not deliver
Olaf Kobacki2536600Did not deliver
Ryo Hatsuse1334900Fair
Ibrahim Cissoko76300Did not deliver
Ben Hamer2000Did not deliver

Stoke City (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Viktor Johansson46414000Excellent
Ashley Phillips42308200Fair
Andrew Moran43236243Fair
Eric Bocat33204601Below expectations
Ben Gibson33194730Fair
Thomas Cannon22186091Fair
Tatsuki Seko42159400Below expectations
Sam Gallagher23101831Fair
Ali Al-Hamadi1584520Fair
Josh Wilson-Esbrand828101Did not deliver

Sunderland (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Chris Mepham43337010Fair
Wilson Isidor453211132Good
Alan Browne28121510Fair
Enzo Le Fée17117912Excellent
Simon Moore4836000Did not deliver
Salis Abdul Samed1629200Did not deliver
Aaron Connolly1824610Fair
Ian Carlo Poveda119400Did not deliver
Oliver Bainbridge4000Did not deliver

Swansea (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Lawrence Vigouroux46414000Good
Gonçalo Franco45316022Fair
Ji-sung Eom38230132Fair
Žan Vipotnik46209970Good
Myles Peart-Harris32166434Fair
Lewis O'Brien16142110Good
Florian Bianchini44111130Did not deliver
Hannes Delcroix1589700Below expectations
Jon McLaughlin43000Did not deliver

Watford (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Yasser Larouci41214503Below expectations
Rocco Vata42156134Fair
Egil Selvik17144000Good
Jonathan Bond3879700Below expectations
Festy Ebosele2375811Did not deliver
Caleb Wiley1273001Below expectations
Pierre Dwomoh2253100Did not deliver
Daniel Jebbison1440200Did not deliver
Angelo Ogbonna1539900Did not deliver
Kévin Keben Biakolo926500Did not deliver
Antonio Tikvić8000Did not deliver

West Brom (12 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Torbjørn Heggem45401412Excellent
Callum Styles38261331Fair
Mason Holgate35198111Fair
Isaac Price17105511Fair
Adam Armstrong16101530Fair
Uroš Račić2691502Fair
Joe Wildsmith4590000Did not deliver
Ousmane Diakité4287000Below expectations
Lewis Dobbin2233400Did not deliver
Devante Cole3315700Did not deliver
Paddy McNair99400Did not deliver
Gianluca Frabotta327900Did not deliver