EFL Championship Transfer Record

The financial competitiveness of the Championship is well-documented and the lure of the Premier League has seen many splash the cash in an attempt to reach the Promised Land.

We've compiled a list of the most expensive signings completed by Championship clubs.

5) João Carvalho - £13.2m

Benfica -> Nottingham Forest (2018)

A product of Benfica's famed youth academy, Carvalho departed his boyhood club to join Nottingham Forest in a club record deal in the summer of 2018.

Returning four goals and eight assists in his debut campaign, the attacking midfielder showed plenty of promise in the initial stages of his stint in East Midlands.

That potential soon deteriorated and after falling out of favour with Sabri Lamouchi, Carvalho was loaned out to Almeria before joining Olympiacos on a permanent basis in 2022.

4) Helder Costa - £15m

Wolves -> Leeds (2020)

Three years prior to his Leeds United switch, Helder Costa was a part of the influx of players from Portugal to join Wolves, signing for the West Midlands club for £13m.

He didn't quite hit the heights of Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota, but he did enough to attract the attention of Leeds, who signed the winger on a permanent basis after a dazzling loan stint.

3) Britt Assombalonga - £15m

Nottingham Forest -> Middlesbrough (2017)

Britt Assombalonga's career consisted of a series of lucrative transfers with Peterborough United forking out a club record £1.9m for his services before selling him to Nottingham Forest for £5m in 2014.

The striker scored 30 goals in 69 appearances at the City Ground when Middlesbrough, who were plotting an immediate return to the Premier League, acquired Assombalonga for another club record fee.

Netting 45 Championship goals in four seasons, he joined Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor in 2021.

2) Ruben Neves - £15.8m

Porto -> Wolves (2017)

Arguably the most talented player to have graced the Championship, Ruben Neves was a cheat code for Wolves in the second tier after completing a £15.8m switch from Porto.

He was instrumental in their promotion campaign and demonstrated his immense ability in the top flight, helping Wolves to a seventh-placed finish on their Premier League return.

1) Mike Trésor - £16m

Genk -> Burnley (2024)

Initially joining Burnley on loan in the Premier League, the Clarets tied Mike Tresor down on a permanent basis following the club's relegation to the Championship.

However, Trésor has yet to feature for Scott Parker’s side this season and his Turf Moor stint could be extremely short-lived.