Will West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United and Burnley be in promotion contention next season? You'd have thought so.

The Clarets may well be rid of Scott Parker, but they have an immense Championship pedigree and will no doubt be one of the favourites to come straight back up. They always are.

That said, huge improvement will be needed from the Baggies and the Blades. Albion put their fans through it all this season, nearly suffering relegation but for their improved form under new permanent boss James Morrison.

Sheffield United had their own managerial problems at the end of the season but Wilder managed to steady the ship. Still, they did concede the fourth-highest number of goals (66) in the entire division.

That said, for United, it looks as though they are targeting additions in the forward line first.

Exciting EFL star up for grabs this summer

With Leicester City suffering relegation from the second tier, the Foxes could suffer from a mass exodus of their top players. Everyone in the second-tier must take advantage of that.

Winger Stephy Mavididi will likely be on a whole host of Championship clubs' radars, including West Brom. He's currently being eyed up by Derby County, but if Albion and Sheffield United have any sense, they will target a move themselves.

A winger certainly seems to be at the top of the bucket list for Wilder's men, who are lining up the likes of Jack Clarke from Ipswich Town and Lewis Dobbin, who enjoyed a fine season on loan at Preston North End, bagging 11 goals.

Another forward on United's radar is Huddersfield Town forward Cameron Ashia. According to the Daily Mail, Burnley, Ipswich, Southampton, Sheffield United and Cardiff have all registered their interest in the player.

West Brom have not been linked just yet, but given the volume of Championship clubs pursuing the Terriers star, Albion should throw their hat into the ring for his services.

Why Ashia is causing such a stir

Ashia is a player who should be at the top of the shortlist for a whole host of second-tier outfits this summer.

For Burnley, they will likely be hunting for a replacement for Jaidon Anthony who was linked with a mega £30m move to Newcastle this week. Ashia could be that man.

At Albion, they are desperately seeking additional quality in the final third. With Mikey Johnston having not played a game since February, their overall form may well have improved but they certainly missed the services of a man who ended 2025/26 with nine assists to his name, the most at the Hawthorns.

With Callum O'Hare and Gustavo Hamer in their ranks, United's forward line is certainly more exciting than the one at Morrison's disposal but just imagine if they could combine that duo with Ashia.

For each side named above, the raw 21-year-old would be a phenomenal signing. Sure, he's still young, but he was easily one of the most exciting players in League One during 2025/26 campaign, even if he wasn't a regular starter.

A scorer of six goals and a provider of three assists, he still has work to do in order to become a more consistent asset but there are plenty of green flags when it comes to Ashia.

Capable of playing on either flank or as an attacking midfielder, he would fit seamlessly into a Sheffield United side that likes to mix up where Hamer and O'Hare play.

For Albion, he'd offer a different dynamic to the team, something we have perhaps not seen in the Midlands since Grady Diangana left.

That's because the Huddersfield youngster has been compared to Manchester City star Jeremy Doku for his pace and trickery. He's dynamic and capable of providing a moment of magic out of nothing, just like City's Belgian superstar. The video clips above tell you the whole story.

While he will not walk into Championship football and immediately light up proceedings - he did only start four league games for the Terriers - this is someone who has an immense degree of sell-on value and will no doubt only get better and better.