Seven Championship transfers for players that could make an impact

The January transfer window is full of cut-throat competition for Championship teams. Some dream of Premier League promotion, while others just want to hang in there for another campaign.

That got Coral’s football experts thinking about what loan and permanent deals have been done this week which have the potential to turn things around for struggling sides, or give clubs that extra push for play-off places? We’ve picked out six eye-catching temporary acquisitions:

Sol Bamba (Palermo to Leeds)
Elland Road may be rocking from Massimo Cellino standing down as president while he awaits an appeal, but United have pulled off a major coup by bringing former Leicester City and Ivory Coast centre back Bamba back to English football. Leed are 10/3 to go down, but this will surely lengthen with him marshalling their defence.

Leon Best (Blackburn to Brighton)
How wise is it of Rovers boss Gary Bowyer to let Republic of Ireland international frontman Best leave Ewood Park on loan again when Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes could make permanent exits this month?

Blackburn are operating under an inbound transfer embargo, precluding any arrivals other than temporary solutions, but have still allowed the former Newcastle United striker to join the Seagulls. Brighton are now 7/1 shots for relegation following Best’s capture.

Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea to Reading)
Royals boss Steve Clarke has used his Stamford Bridge connections to lure England Under-21 international anchorman Chalobah to Berkshire. Regular football with Reading (28/1 for a top six finish) will allow the Sierra Leone-born player some regular action ahead of the European Championship finals in his age bracket this summer.

Lloyd Dyer (Watford to Birmingham)
Gary Rowett beat Dyer’s old club Leicester to this loan signing, with winger Dyer back in his home city. The Blues have really turned things around since appointing their former defender as manager, and are 12/1 chances to end the campaign in a play-off place.