Championship players are ‘on the radar’ for Thomas Tuchel, and these five can make the step up with England immediately

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The top talent is no longer confined to the top tier, and we’ve selected five Championship players who could play for England under Thomas Tuchel in the near future.

Across the Championship, we have the pleasure of watching some incredible players, with big clubs like Sunderland, Leeds United, and Sheffield United strutting their stuff in the second tier.

We know that Tuchel already has some of the best players in the Championship ‘on the radar’ (as per Alan Nixon) with inclusion in his England squad on the cards. Essentially, the Three Lions boss doesn’t care what division someone plays in, as long as they are good enough.

So, EFL Analysis has done some of the early scouting work for Tuchel to make his job a little easier. Here are five of the top Championship players who could play for England this year.

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Jobe Bellingham – Sunderland (19 years old)

Jude’s younger brother, Jobe Bellingham, was the main man Tuchel went to scout earlier this season, and it’s clear to see why.

The dynamic young midfielder has just about everything; he can tackle, he can pick out a killer pass, he’s great on the ball, and he can pop up with a goal or two as well.

Sunderland are blessed with a number of exciting talents (more on that later), but Jobe might just be the brightest of them all.

Just like his brother, Jobe is destined for the very top, and should secure a move to a Premier League club, or a big European club, in the summer if Sunderland don’t get promoted.

There’s absolutely no reason why Tuchel couldn’t give Bellingham a chance for England’s senior team, especially if it was just a friendly match to get a taste for the level.

James Trafford – Burnley (22 years old)

Having already been involved with the England men’s team in the past, it would be no surprise at all to see James Trafford reintroduced into the fold after the season he’s had with Burnley this term.

Trafford has kept so many clean sheets this season that he’s close to breaking a Championship record, and he’s been a key factor in the Clarets’ pursuit of promotion this year.

He’s got Premier League experience, albeit during a relegation campaign, and there’s no doubt that he is one of a handful of players who are simply too good for the Championship.

We don’t quite expect Trafford to be Tuchel’s number one goalkeeper, but it would make sense for him to be in the squads at least, as he is very likely to be England’s main man between the sticks for years to come.

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Hayden Hackney – Middlesbrough (22 years old)

Middlesbrough have had an up-and-down season in 2024/25, with their play-off dream now on the line, and Michael Carrick’s job with it.

But, one consistent over the last couple of years has been the impressive displays of young Hayden Hackney in the middle of the park.

Hackney has featured in all but three games for ‘Boro this season, and has even stepped up to be captain 11 times this term. He’s a born leader, a sublime passer of the ball, and a real workhorse in midfield, too.

Just like Jobe Bellingham, Hackney is wanted by a host of Premier League clubs, including perennial poaches of top Championship talent, Crystal Palace.

He will definitely make the step up at some point, probably very soon, and when he does, we should see a similar rise to that of Adam Wharton.

Chris Rigg – Sunderland (17 years old)

It is positively crazy that Chris Rigg has already been playing at senior level for Sunderland for more than two years, and at 17 years old, he is a firm fixture in Regis Le Bris’ side.

Honestly, this word is used too often, but Rigg is a generational talent, and he has the world at his feet. The Premier League will come calling soon enough, and the Mackem native will likely end up at one of the very best teams, too.

Rigg is such an exciting and clever player. His vision, technique, and footballing intelligence put him miles ahead of anyone his age, and indeed, most of the players in the Championship.

Of the players on this list, Rigg probably has the longest way to go in terms of making it on the international stage. But, he’s definitely someone we could see instantly settling in at one of the Premier League’s top clubs and making a big impact. Once he does, there’ll be no looking for Rigg.

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Ollie Arblaster – Sheffield United (21 years old)

With Premier League experience under his belt, and the honour of captaining his boyhood club already, Ollie Arblaster has a fantastic career ahead of him.

If it wasn’t for a cruciate ligament injury in the Steel City derby, the Sheffield United youngster would very likely have had a brilliant campaign and there’s every chance that the Blades would be pushing Leeds even closer for the title.

Hopefully, he can come back strong for next season, and with the way things are going he will be turning out for United in the top flight again, too.

Arblaster is a good, old-fashioned, combative midfielder. He loves to get stuck in and do the dirty work, but he’s also great on the ball and is capable of dictating the flow of the game from deep.

If England want a bit more bite and fight among their ranks, they could do far worse than calling on this Sheffield United star.