Market values Championship: Toney chases Buendía - Armstrong and Collins on the up

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Transfermarkt has redetermined or confirmed the market values in the Championship – without those players who have already been updated in the European Championship updates – ahead of the start of the new season. Among the biggest winners are – once again – the second division’s top scorer Ivan Toney of Brentford, who receives another multi-million plus following his latest upgrade in March, and Norwich star Emiliano Buendía, who was directly involved in 32 goals in 39 league matches this season. The 24-year-old winger earned himself a transfer to Aston Villa and is one of the main reasons, the Canaries were eight points clear at the top of the table and will return to the Premier League on their first attempt.

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With an upgrade of €13 million to €35 million, Buendía increases his lead over Max Aarons (+2 to €22 million) in the team internal ranking. Toney, who scored 33 goals and provided 10 assists in 48 Championship matches, including the playoffs, follows in second place after a plus of €10 million to €28 million, despite only making his debut in the English second tier at age 24 this season. Rumours about a transfer to a bigger Premier League club were already gathering pace ahead Brentford’s promotion.

Player Comparison

Emiliano Buendía

Ivan Toney

Aston Villa

Brentford FC

€22.00m

Market Value

€35.00m

27

Age

27

Right Winger

Position

Centre-Forward

Jun 30, 2026

Contract until

Jun 30, 2025

Full Player Comparison

Plus for Blackburn’s Armstrong - Mowatt and Janelt on the up

When fully fit, Todd Cantwell was another important factor for Norwich’s strong form and returns to his previous market value of €22 million after an increase of €4 million. Although promotion to the top tier with Blackburn is rather unlikely at the moment, Adam Armstrong has been making the headlines with his goals and attracted the interest of bigger English clubs. As a result, the 24-year-old’s market value rises from €16 million to €18 million after finishing only behind Toney in the Championship’s scoring charts with 28 goals from 40 matches.

Not only because of Toney, Brentford went up to the Premier League for the first time in club history – despite having lost two key players, in Ollie Watkins and Saïd Benrahma again in the last summer transfer window. The West London side have brought in a lot of talents in the past few years, who consistently improved their market values. David Raya (+2 to €14 million), arguably the best goalkeeper in the Championship, winger Bryan Mbeumo (+4 to €16 million) and summer bargain Vitaly Janelt (+3.5 to €7 million), who arrived for a fee of only €600,000 from German second division side Bochum last October, are among several winners at the Bees.

Stats

B. Mbeumo Right Winger

Brentford FC

Season 20/21–
Championship

Games

44

Goals

8

Assists

11

At surprise team Barnsley, captain Alex Mowatt receives the biggest upgrade, rising by €3 million to €7 million. The 26-year-old dictated the pace in midfield and was directly involved in 15 goals in 44 matches, while Mads Juel Andersen was performing very well at the back. The 23-year-old Danish defender improves his value from €3 million to €5 million.

Stats

A. Mowatt Central Midfield

Barnsley FC

Season 20/21–
Championship

Games

44

Goals

8

Assists

7

Bayern signing Richards upgraded - Collins among biggest winners

Other players on the up are Reading’s Omar Richards (+€2 to €7 million), who will join Bayern Munich in July, his teammate Michael Olise (+3 to €15 million) and Watford’s Ismaïla Sarr, who helped his side to reach promotion with 23 goal involvements in 39 matches and rises by €2 million to €22 million. 20-year-old Stoke defender Nathan Collins (+6 to €8 million), who will join Burnley for €14 million this summer, is one of the biggest winners of the update and might receive an even bigger upgrade once he establishes himself in the Premier League.

Stats

I. Sarr Right Winger

Watford FC

Season 20/21–
Championship

Games

39

Goals

13

Assists

10

There are also prominent names who have to accept market value cuts. Craig Dawson, who will join West Ham permanently in July, loses €2 million and is now valued at €3 million, while older players like Watford’s Troy Deeney (-1.5 to €2.5 million) and Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic (-0.8 to €1.2 million) are downgraded for age-related reasons.