The Championship is awash with talent, and Premier League clubs will undoubtedly turn to the division in the January transfer window as they push to improve their squads ahead of the business half of the top flight season.
Newcastle United, promoted last season, are a club who are certain to monitor the division for their next star player, with manager Rafa Benitez experienced at this level having guided the Magpies to the title last season.
The Geordie side have enjoyed a solid start to the Premier League campaign, and lie comfortably in mid-table, but Benitez will not rest on his laurels, and further recruitment could be seen in the New Year as the Spaniard aims to ensure Newcastle remain a top flight side for a second consecutive season.
The Championship could be the perfect market for the former Real Madrid and Liverpool boss, and here are three players he could target when the winter window opens for business.
James Maddison
The 20-year-old playmaker has been sensational for the Canaries this season after signing from Coventry City last year, and is quickly evolving into one of the most effective players in the division.
Such a young, raw talent with massive room for future growth, Maddison would be a steal if Newcastle can convince Daniel Farke to part with his star man, and the player would fit perfectly into a Magpies side that has struggled for creativity at times this season.
The two clubs did business in the summer when academy graduate Jacob Murphy headed to Tyneside, and further business could be conducted between the pair in January.
Bobby Reid
Reid has nine goals and an assist since Bristol City boss Lee Johnson converted the former midfielder into a frontman, and the 25-year-old is now one of the hottest properties in the second tier.
Newcastle have struggled for goals this season, notching just ten from their opening eleven games, and this is a problem Benitez will look to address in the New Year.
Reid is in the form of his life and is bagging goals for fun, and a form man is exactly what the Magpies need if they are to continue their climb up the Premier League table.
The Robins will demand a sizeable fee, but Newcastle could have money to spend if they sell in January.
Jarrod Bowen
Picked up from Hereford United in 2014, Bowen has been nothing short of a revelation for Hull City this season.
Eight goals from the wide positions, Bowen has been the shining light in an otherwise dark campaign for Leonid Slutsky’s side, and Premier League sides will undoubtedly be eyeing up a move for the 20-year-old.
Bringing young talent into the squad capable of making an immediate impact on the side will be a priority for Benitez over the coming months, and Bowen is certainly showing signs of becoming a top class Premier League winger.
The Spaniard should strike first before other manager’s pick up Bowen’s scent.