Twelve of the best Premier League signings from the EFL

After Everton signed Hayden Hackney from Championship side Middlesbrough, football writer Ben McAleer looks at the stars who have shone in the top flight after making the jump up from the English Football League.

The English Football League [EFL] is a hotbed of talent if you know where to look. Everton have once again raided the EFL - the top three divisions below the Premier League which are the Championship, League One and League Two - after signing Hackney from Middlesbrough.

Hackney isn’t the first player to make the leap to the Premier League, nor will he be the last. England’s second tier and beyond is littered with quality. Some have made the jump between divisions look easy.

We look at 12 stars who have gone on to enjoy success in the Premier League after being bought directly from the EFL and you can vote for your favourite in the poll below.

Dele Alli (MK Dons to Tottenham Hotspur)

A January 2015 signing from MK Dons, Dele exploded onto the scene at Spurs scoring 10 times and providing nine assists in the league in 2015/16. His second season was also one to savour as the midfielder netted 18 times en route to winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award in back-to-back campaigns. He left Spurs in 2022, also representing Everton in the Premier League.

Gareth Bale (Southampton to Tottenham Hotspur)

Tottenham Hotspur signed Bale from Southampton in 2007 when the Welshman was a highly-rated left-back on the south coast. He’d go on to become one of the best wingers in world football and, in his final season in north London, scored 21 league goals, nine of which were scored from outside the box. That form led to a high-profile switch to LaLiga giants Real Madrid in 2013.

Jarrod Bowen (Hull City to West Ham United)

Brown proved a fine addition for the Hammers in 2020. Bowen has scored 65 goals and supplied 49 assists for the Hammers in the Premier League and was the match-winner in their historic UEFA Conference League final win over Fiorentina in 2023. He was named club captain in 2024.

Tim Cahill (Millwall to Everton)

Everton have routinely raided the EFL well. Arguably their greatest pick up was Cahill, who moved to Merseyside from Millwall back in July 2004. The Australian went on to score 56 league goals across 226 appearances for the Toffees before jetting stateside to play for New York Red Bulls in 2012.

Eberechi Eze (Queens Park Rangers to Crystal Palace)

Eze honed his game at Queens Park Rangers, and tore up the Championship before swapping west London for south London in 2020. The playmaker took to the Premier League instantly, becoming a firm fans' favourite at Selhurst Park. Eze scored the winner as Palace won the 2025 FA Cup final against Manchester City before joining champions Arsenal last summer.

James Maddison (Norwich City to Leicester City)

Leicester City took a chance on Maddison back in 2018, bringing the creative star to the King Power Stadium following an impressive Championship campaign with Norwich City. Maddison thrived for the Foxes, scoring 43 goals and laying on 32 assists, as well as winning the FA Cup in 2021, before leaving for Spurs in 2023.

Michael Olise (Reading to Crystal Palace)

Olise has morphed into a global superstar having excelled for both Bayern Munich and France in recent years. It was Crystal Palace, though, who gave the Hammersmith-born 24-year-old his first taste of top flight football, taking him back to the capital in 2021 after a four-year spell with Reading. He’s now considered one of the best players in world football.

Morgan Rogers (Middlesbrough to Aston Villa)

Rogers has been a revelation at Aston Villa after joining from Middlesbrough in February 2024, establishing himself as one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the Premier League. Rogers has excelled during his time at Villa Park, and is now a key member of the England set-up. At 23 years of age, there is still plenty more to come from the forward.

John Stones (Barnsley to Everton)

Stones started out with Barnsley and despite playing just 28 senior games for the club, Everton saw enough in the centre-back to take him to Merseyside in January 2013. Stones went on to become a mainstay in the Toffees set-up. His performances for Everton ultimately saw the defender secure a high-profile move to Manchester City in August 2016.

Theo Walcott (Southampton to Arsenal)

Walcott was one of the hottest prospects in world football when he broke onto the scene in 2005. So much so that Arsenal signed him in January 2006 when he was just 16 years of age. Walcott spent 12 years on the Gunners' books, making 270 league appearances in the process, before moving on to Everton in 2018 and then back to the Saints in 2020.

Ollie Watkins (Brentford to Aston Villa)

Watkins netted 26 times in his final Brentford campaign as the Bees failed to secure promotion via the playoffs in 2020. Watkins, though, went on to play Premier League football the following season regardless. He’s gone on to be a resounding success at Villa Park, hitting double figures in every Premier League season he's played in.

Adam Wharton (Blackburn Rovers to Crystal Palace)

Crystal Palace won the race for the silky midfielder in February 2024 after he had starred for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship. Wharton has since gone on to become a fully-fledged England international during his time in south London and has helped the Eagles win the FA Cup, Community Shield and UEFA Conference League.

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