The new Championship season kicks off on Friday as the race to reach the Premier League begins anew.
Here are five players set to be the talk of the second tier.
After 22 years at Chelsea, Terry will experience Championship football for the first time since a brief loan spell at Nottingham Forest in 2000.
The 36-year-old was quickly made captain of Villa, and manager Steve Bruce will hope Terry’s know-how can help guide the midlands giants back to the top flight.
Terry’s physical style should make him a Championship natural.
The talents of the 17-year-old full-back are well known after a brilliant breakthrough season.
Sessegnon scored seven goals in 30 appearances, becoming the youngest Championship goalscorer, and was named by Gazzetta dello Sport as one of the top 30 players in Europe aged under 20.
He rejected interest from top-flight clubs in England and abroad to stay with Fulham.
Marked out as one of the brightest young talents in Europe, 20-year-old Neves had a tough time at Porto last term and, with agent Jorge Mendes as deal-maker, has made the somewhat unlikely move to the Championship as the league’s record signing.
The midfielder may find it a steep learning curve but undoubtedly has the skills to make a big impact.
Middlesbrough splashed out a club-record £14million to sign Assombalonga from Nottingham Forest. The 24-year-old is a proven goalscorer but Forest saw the best of him only in flashes because of injury.
Boro were woefully short of goals last season and it would be a surprise if Assombalonga – fitness permitting – does not prove to be an excellent buy.
After unpromising beginnings at Cardiff, Danish striker Zohore enjoyed a fine second half of last season, scoring 11 goals in his last 17 games and finishing as the club’s leading marksman.
The 23-year-old, who is related to Didier Drogba, then scored twice for Denmark in the summer’s European Under-21 Championship and will look to pick up where he left off.
