After Recent Transfer Activity, Which EFL Clubs Out on Top and Which Fell Short?

Sometimes, massive spending has helped a few teams get in players who won them trophy after trophy (names withheld). However, this article isn’t about who spent the least or most in the EFL during recent transfer windows; it’s about whose signings look most likely to bring the most progress to the entire football club. 

So, now that recent signings have been completed, which EFL clubs look most primed for success and which possibly fell a little short?

Which Clubs Are Out on Top?

There are, of course, more than two teams that should look back at their recent transfer activity with some positivity. 

QPR

They might be struggling for the 11th season running to return to tier 1 football, but their latest transfer activity shows QPR shouldn’t be underrated anymore – at least not yet. New boss Julien Stephan has manned the transfers like he means some business, calling up some notable signings to help bolster his side.

And the biggest of all signings has to be Richard Kone, who finished last season as League One’s best player, after netting 18 goals for Wycombe in League One in 2024/25. 

QPR also got in Karamoko Dembele, who joined the club on a permanent deal following his time on loan from Brest (£2.5m). Other motivating recruits include players like Amadou Mbengue, Kealey Adamson, Kwame Poku, and Rumarn Burrell, who could be jointly instrumental in helping QPR find their dominance again in English football. With modern football financing becoming increasingly complex, clubs often seek secure payment methods for various transactions, much like how online entertainment platforms such as https://pl.polskiesloty.com/kasyno-online-paysafecard/ utilize paysafecard casino payment systems for their security and convenience. This attention to financial security extends beyond entertainment into football’s transfer dealings.

Wrexham

Wrexham has earned a third successive promotion to make a first second-tier appearance in 43 years. It was good news for Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, under whom director Humphrey Ker announced ahead of time that Wrexham would need to quadruple their wage bill in the Championship.

And spend did they, as Phil Parkinson’s ranks now boast of the biggest spending of the second tier’s 24 teams – by a mile. In fact, Wrexham’s big-money moves meant they recorded a higher net spend than Bournemouth (-£87m), Brighton (-£64m), Brentford (-£49m), Crystal Palace (-£16m), Chelsea (-£3m), Wolves (£2m), Aston Villa (£10.5m) and Fulham (£19.5m).

Thirteen players joined the English side this summer, drawing up to £30m in net expenditure from the club. Outgoing sales of Jack Marriott, Luke Bolton, and Luke McNicholas brought in nominal income, while the club had to cough out about £30m (which could even become more, considering add-ons) to get in new signings.

Wrexham’s new signings include Ryan Hardie, Danny Ward, Liberato Cacace, George Thomason, Josh Windass, Lewis O’Brien, Conor Coady, Kieffer Moore, Nathan Broadhead, Callum Doyle, Ben Sheaf, Dom Hyam, and Issa Kabore (on loan). 

Fortunately, (and expectedly too), the summer signings Lewis O’Brien and Kieffer Moore both found the back of the net as Wrexham thumped Millwall 2-0 to seal their first Championship win of the season. Practically, we’ll all be surprised if Wrexham doesn’t put up a decent Championship run this season.

Who Possibly Fell Short?

Not every club can emerge from transfer windows with their objectives met. Whether due to financial constraints, poor planning, or external circumstances, some teams have found themselves in more precarious positions despite their efforts in the market.

Sheffield Wednesday 

There’s not an iota of doubt that Sheffield Wednesday has made this side of the list, partly due to the club’s off-field issues. There’s a multi-window transfer fee ban, which meant the EFL had to certify every deal completed by the club.

The situation meant that Harry Amass was their only potential outfield signing in the summer, though this move was ultimately called off. The squad feels extremely weak following the departures of Josh Windass, Djeidi Gassama, captain Barry Bannan, and midfield maestro Will Vaulks. The latter two left at the end of their contracts.

Yet, Ethan Horvath’s presence via an emergency loan move will still not make up for the irreplaceable leadership, experience, and on-field quality of the outgone players. Other recruits are loan signings from Premier League Youth arms and free transfers from League One, but none of the new entrants can safely fill the void. So challenging was Sheffield Wednesday’s transfer activity that some are already predicting relegation struggles for the 2025/26 season. Hopefully, future transfer windows can help reengineer their situation differently.

Oxford United

After getting promoted to the Championship last season, they spent a little more on a few signings, with three of their five biggest ever signings occurring over the last season. Oxford continued their investment approach in January 2025, though the signings have shown mixed results so far.

Perhaps a walk down memory lane a bit would sound just how much help Oxford United might need to avoid relegation (or the dreaded relegation battles) during the 2025/26 season. Oxford purchased Ole Romeny for a record fee of approximately £1.6 million in January 2025, hoping the Indonesian forward would help light his team’s chances in front of goal.

Since joining in January 2025, Romeny has had a slow start to his Oxford career, with limited goal contributions in his early appearances. His first goal came against Coventry City in March 2025, showing promise but highlighting the adjustment period many players face when moving to English football.

Now, fans can only hope he develops the form that made him cost so much to ensure they remain in the division. Otherwise, it’s more than likely that Oxford’s off-field issues will take the blame for whatever’s left of the team’s standing – and reputation – by the end of the season.

Conclusion 

Recent transfer activity has effectively shaped squads across the EFL, and clubs are celebrating their wins or learning from their mistakes already. If there was anything the European transfer market has taught us over and again, the biggest spenders aren’t always the biggest winners and vice versa. They’ve also taught us that time is often the biggest proof of a signing’s success. The end of the 2025/26 season may have proven a few of our thoughts or defied them; but they’d have rewritten a new story too.