10 of the Most Intriguing Loans From the Premier League to the EFL
By Tom Gott
While fans of Premier League teams spend their summers hoping to see big money spent, Football League supporters can't be so demanding. Loan moves are often the way forward for these sides.
This summer, plenty of Premier League players have made the move to the EFL in search of minutes, and whether it's for a taste of senior experience or simply to go and play some football, there are plenty of intriguing signings which promise to shake things up in the lower leagues.
Here are ten of the best.
1. Harry Wilson (Liverpool to Cardiff)
Harry Wilson is a Premier League player who will be playing in the second tier this season. That shouldn't be allowed.
The 23-year-old winger managed seven goals and two assists with Bournemouth last season so quite clearly has what it takes to survive in the top flight.
Wilson could turn Cardiff into genuine title contenders, but even if they can't make it that far, the Bluebirds will be hopeful of getting through the play-offs this time around.
2. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool to Blackburn)
Harvey Elliott is the youngest player to ever feature in the Premier League, but he's done more than just that. He has nine appearances for the champions of England and has made the bench for 14 other games. That doesn't come easy.
The excitement surrounding him is enormous, so there will be a lot of eyes on him as he embarks on his first full season as a senior.
There are also a lot of Twitter detractors claiming Elliott is going to get kicked from pillar to post in the Championship, so let's see how he handles that added pressure.
3. Troy Parrott (Tottenham to Millwall)
After lighting up youth football last season, Troy Parrott now has a chance to prove himself at the next level.
Tottenham have justifiably high hopes for Parrott, having handed him his debut last season, but he was finally allowed to escape from Harry Kane's shadow this summer when he sealed a move to Millwall.
With Jose Mourinho keen to find some long-term competition for Kane, Parrott could force his way into the plans with a big season.
4. Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolves to Swansea)
It doesn't seem that long ago that we were talking about Morgan Gibbs-White as a genuine star in the Premier League.
The Wolves youngster, who already has 70 appearances for the club to his name, saw his stock take a bit of a hit last season as he failed to fight his way into Nuno Espiriito Santo's plans, so he needed a change of scenery.
Swansea, who have a great track record of putting their faith in the Premier League's youth, will hope to give him the platform he needs to reignite the flame once more.
5. Marc Guehi (Chelsea to Swansea)
Chelsea centre-back Marc Guehi actually joined Swansea back in January, but took a while to get going. His early form was poor, but he was an undisputed star after lockdown.
The England youth international now has a full season to showcase his skills, and he's already been doing that to great effect. He's a core part of the reason Swansea look so exciting this season.
The Chelsea loan army tends to have a handful of stars every season, and Guehi has a great chance of being one.
6. Angus Gunn (Southampton to Stoke City)
Stoke have moved on from Jack Butland, finally letting him return to the Premier League, and they've replaced him with Southampton's Angus Gunn.
Gunn's lost his way a bit in recent seasons, but the 24-year-old still has real star potential. He's been part of the England squad and has 22 Premier League appearances to his name.
His confidence looks shot (mental what conceding nine goals in one game will do to you), but this new challenge could be all he needs to get things going again.
7. Oliver Skipp (Tottenham to Norwich)
Few players on this list needed minutes quite like Oliver Skipp.
The 20-year-old midfielder was lost in purgatory last season. He was too good for Tottenham's academy but not good enough for a spot in the first team, so he was usually glued to the bench.
He managed just 298 minutes of action over the entire 2019/20 season and has thankfully already exceeded that with Norwich.
8. James Garner (Man Utd to Watford)
Manchester United fans will know all about James Garner already, having seen the young midfielder involved with the first team last season.
The 19-year-old already has plenty of European experience to his name, so he'll be expected to make a huge splash during his time with Watford, who are already seen as title favourites in the Championship.
His status as a gem of United's academy will only increase the pressure on Garner, who will need to show a lot of strength this season.
9. Dylan Levitt (Man Utd to Charlton)
It's a little surprising to see Dylan Levitt forced to drop down to League One in search of minutes this season. After all, this is a player who has already trained with Ryan Giggs' senior Wales squad and has played for United in the Europa League.
Hopes are high for Levitt who, like Garner, is also 19, and he'll be looking forward to trying to justify that faith in a Charlton side who are hoping to bounce back from relegation last season.
He's obviously not ready for United's first team just yet, but a good showing this season would put him one step closer.
10. Jordi Osei-Tutu (Arsenal to Cardiff)
There are a lot of unknowns about Jordi Osei-Tutu's loan to Cardiff. He's a versatile right-sided player who is yet to really nail down a permanent position because he's so impressive in them all.
Arsenal see him primarily as a right-back, but Osei-Tutu spent last season playing as a winger in Germany's second tier with Bochum, where he chimed in with a respectable return of five goals and three assists.
A do-it-all player who is all about speed and excitement, Osei-Tutu promises to be a fun watch wherever he plays on the pitch.