Best Left-Backs in the Championship (Apr 2026)

Ranked by Analytical Strength Score

Market Overview: Championship Left-Backs 2022-23

Our database tracked 47 Championship Left-Backs in the 2022-23 season, representing 28 clubs with a combined market value of €115.4M. The average market value for Championship Left-Backs was €2.5M, with the average age at 26.4 years old.

The most valuable left-back in the Championship was Leif Davis, worth €22.0M and played for Ipswich Town at 26 years old. The top 5 Left-Backs averaged €11.5M in market value, including Victor Kristiansen and Samuel Iling-Junior.

Age distribution showed the youngest tracked left-back was Harry Amass (19 years, Sheffield Wednesday, €5.0M), while the oldest was Erik Pieters (37 years, Without Club, €200K). Research shows Left-Backs typically peak at age 27.

Historical analysis showed 23 Left-Backs (49%) increased in market value over the following 12 months based on age-curve trajectories, then-current performance trends, and playing time analysis. The Championship market for Left-Backs remained actively developing with emerging talent in the 2022-23 season.

💡 Use the search bar below to find specific players, or apply filters to narrow results by club, age range, or market value. Click the chart icon next to any player to view their historical value trajectory and forecast.

Market Intelligence

Explore Market Size by Position in Championship

Interactive bubble chart showing predicted 2-year growth vs current age for all Championship Left-Backs. Identify undervalued assets and track market momentum across 28 clubs with €115.4M combined value.

Players Tracked

By League

Premier League La Liga Bundesliga Serie A Ligue 1

By Position

GK CB LB RB CDM

More Positions

CM CAM LW RW ST

By Season

2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23

Age Distribution: Championship Left-Backs

The Championship LB market shows 5 distinct age segments, with the largest cohort in the 24-26 bracket (14 players, 30% of market). The 24-26 age group holds the most value at €52.8M, averaging €3.8M per player.

U21 years2 players (4%)

€5.7MAvg: €2.9M

Top player: Harry Amass (€5.0M)

21-23 years12 players (26%)

€33.0MAvg: €2.7M

Top player: Victor Kristiansen (€15.0M)

24-26 years14 players (30%)

€52.8MAvg: €3.8M

Top player: Leif Davis (€22.0M)

27-29 years9 players (19%)

€13.9MAvg: €1.5M

Top player: Ryan Manning (€3.0M)

30+ years10 players (21%)

€10.0MAvg: €1.0M

Top player: Matt Targett (€4.5M)

Top Left-Backs by Age Bracket

U21 Years (2 players)

1. Harry Amass(19yo)

€5.0M

2. Ishé Samuels-Smith(19yo)

€700K

21-23 Years (12 players)

1. Victor Kristiansen(23yo)

€15.0M

2. Samuel Iling-Junior(22yo)

€10.0M

3. Ben Chrisene(22yo)

€1.5M

4. Thierry Small(21yo)

€1.5M

5. Owen Beck(23yo)

€1.3M

24-26 Years (14 players)

1. Leif Davis(26yo)

€22.0M

2. Luke Thomas(24yo)

€6.0M

3. Ryan Giles(26yo)

€4.5M

4. Josh Tymon(26yo)

€3.5M

5. Welington(25yo)

€3.0M

27-29 Years (9 players)

1. Ryan Manning(29yo)

€3.0M

2. Neto Borges(29yo)

€3.0M

3. Max Lowe(28yo)

€2.2M

4. Rhys Norrington-Davies(27yo)

€2.2M

5. Marc Bola(28yo)

€1.5M

Market Value Distribution

Elite Tier Concentration

50%of market value

The top 5 Left-Backs (11% of players) control €57.5M

1. Leif Davis€22.0M

2. Victor Kristiansen€15.0M

3. Samuel Iling-Junior€10.0M

4. Luke Thomas€6.0M

5. Matt Targett€4.5M

Market Tiers

High (€15-30M)2 players (4%)

€37.0M

Mid (€5-15M)3 players (6%)

€21.0M

Emerging (<€5M)42 players (89%)

€57.4M

Market structure shows distributed value with high (€15-30m) tier representing 4% of the Championship LB pool.

High (€15-30M)

1. Leif Davis

Ipswich Town€22.0M

2. Victor Kristiansen

Leicester City€15.0M

Mid (€5-15M)

1. Samuel Iling-Junior

West Bromwich Albion€10.0M

2. Luke Thomas

Leicester City€6.0M

3. Harry Amass

Sheffield Wednesday€5.0M

Emerging (<€5M)

1. Matt Targett

Middlesbrough FC€4.5M

2. Ryan Giles

Hull City€4.5M

3. Josh Tymon

Swansea City€3.5M

4. Welington

Southampton FC€3.0M

5. Liberato Cacace

Wrexham AFC€3.0M

Club Distribution: Championship Left-Backs

Among 28 Championship clubs, Ipswich Town leads with 2 Left-Backs worth €22.6M (averaging €11.3M per player). The top 10 clubs account for 45% of tracked Left-Backs.

Ipswich Town

2 players • €22.6M

Leicester City

2 players • €21.0M

West Bromwich Albion

2 players • €12.2M

Sheffield Wednesday

2 players • €7.2M

Hull City

3 players • €6.0M

Southampton FC

2 players • €6.0M

Middlesbrough FC

2 players • €5.2M

Swansea City

2 players • €4.2M

Bristol City

2 players • €4.2M

#10

Birmingham City

2 players • €3.8M

Ipswich Town (2 Left-Backs)

Leif Davis(26yo)

€22.0M

Conor Townsend(33yo)

€600K

Leicester City (2 Left-Backs)

Victor Kristiansen(23yo)

€15.0M

Luke Thomas(24yo)

€6.0M

West Bromwich Albion (2 Left-Backs)

Samuel Iling-Junior(22yo)

€10.0M

Charlie Taylor(32yo)

€2.2M

Sheffield Wednesday (2 Left-Backs)

Harry Amass(19yo)

€5.0M

Max Lowe(28yo)

€2.2M

Player Rankings

Ranked by APE Strength Score. Click any player to view full profile, or click the chart icon to see value history.

Leif Davis

Ipswich Town • 26 years old

€19.0M

€22.0M

+15.6%

€19.9M€25.4M

Expected: €22.7M

73.5

Victor Kristiansen

Leicester City • 23 years old

€13.0M

€15.0M

+15.6%

€14.1M€18.0M

Expected: €16.1M

70.1

Samuel Iling-Junior

West Bromwich Albion • 22 years old

€8.6M

€10.0M

+15.6%

€9.3M€11.9M

Expected: €10.6M

60.9

Luke Thomas

Leicester City • 24 years old

€5.2M

€6.0M

+15.6%

€5.4M€6.9M

Expected: €6.1M

54.7

Matt Targett

Middlesbrough FC • 30 years old

€5.8M

€4.5M

-22.6%

€3.3M€4.2M

Expected: €3.7M

50.6

Harry Amass

Sheffield Wednesday • 19 years old

€4.3M

€5.0M

+15.6%

€5.1M€6.8M

Expected: €6.0M

50.4

Ryan Giles

Hull City • 26 years old

€3.9M

€4.5M

+15.6%

€4.1M€5.2M

Expected: €4.6M

50.1

Josh Tymon

Swansea City • 26 years old

€3.0M

€3.5M

+15.6%

€3.2M€4.0M

Expected: €3.6M

47.0

#10

Welington

Southampton FC • 25 years old

€2.6M

€3.0M

+15.6%

€2.6M€3.3M

Expected: €2.9M

42.0

Liberato Cacace

Wrexham AFC • 25 years old

€2.6M

€3.0M

+15.6%

€2.6M€3.3M

Expected: €2.9M

42.0

#11

Ryan Manning

Southampton FC • 29 years old

€3.9M

€3.0M

-22.6%

€2.2M€2.8M

Expected: €2.5M

41.8

#12

Neto Borges

Bristol City • 29 years old

€3.9M

€3.0M

-22.6%

€2.2M€2.8M

Expected: €2.5M

41.8

#13

Charlie Taylor

West Bromwich Albion • 32 years old

€2.8M

€2.2M

-22.6%

€1.7M€2.2M

Expected: €1.9M

38.3

#14

Max Lowe

Sheffield Wednesday • 28 years old

€2.8M

€2.2M

-22.6%

€1.7M€2.2M

Expected: €1.9M

37.9

#15

Rhys Norrington-Davies

Queens Park Rangers • 27 years old

€2.3M

€2.2M

-5.4%

€1.7M€2.2M

Expected: €1.9M

37.7

#16

Eric-Junior Bocat

Stoke City • 26 years old

€1.9M

€2.2M

+15.6%

€2.0M€2.5M

Expected: €2.3M

37.6

#17

Alex Cochrane

Birmingham City • 26 years old

€1.7M

€2.0M

+15.6%

€1.8M€2.3M

Expected: €2.1M

36.5

#18

Lee Buchanan

Birmingham City • 25 years old

€1.6M

€1.8M

+15.6%

€1.5M€2.0M

Expected: €1.8M

35.6

#19

Ben Chrisene

Norwich City • 22 years old

€1.3M

€1.5M

+15.6%

€1.4M€1.8M

Expected: €1.6M

33.7

#20

Marc Bola

Watford FC • 28 years old

€1.9M

€1.5M

-22.6%

€1.2M€1.5M

Expected: €1.3M

33.1

Showing 1-20 of 47

Scout Tools

Advanced analytics for scouting and recruitment decisions. Each tool provides unique insights into player value, potential, and market dynamics.

Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

Identifies pre-peak players offering exceptional value relative to their age bracket. Higher PPVE = better value.

Understanding Pre-Peak Value Efficiency (PPVE)

Leicester City's Victor Kristiansen at 23 years old has the highest Pre-Peak Value Efficiency at 12.50×. That means Victor Kristiansen is valued 12.50× higher than the median player in the 21-23 age bracket—representing exceptional value before reaching peak age.

In second is West Bromwich Albion's Samuel Iling-Junior, who is 22 years old, with a 8.33× PPVE. Third is Luke Thomas of Leicester City, who is 24 years old with a 3.33× PPVE.

How PPVE is calculated: PPVE compares a player's current market value to the median value of all players in their age bracket. A PPVE of 12.50× means the player is worth 1150% more than typical players their age—making them high-value targets before they reach peak value.

PPVE by Age Bracket

Victor KristiansenLeicester City

21-23 • 23yo12.50×

€15.0M • 1150% above median

Samuel Iling-JuniorWest Bromwich Albion

21-23 • 22yo8.33×

€10.0M • 733% above median

Luke ThomasLeicester City

24-26 • 24yo3.33×

€6.0M • 233% above median

Liberato CacaceWrexham AFC

24-26 • 25yo1.67×

€3.0M • 67% above median

WelingtonSouthampton FC

24-26 • 25yo1.67×

€3.0M • 67% above median

Ben ChriseneNorwich City

21-23 • 22yo1.25×

€1.5M • 25% above median

Thierry SmallPreston North End

21-23 • 21yo1.25×

€1.5M • 25% above median

Owen BeckDerby County

21-23 • 23yo1.08×

€1.3M • 8% above median

Harry AmassSheffield Wednesday

U21 • 19yo1.00×

€5.0M • 0% above median

Lee BuchananBirmingham City

24-26 • 25yo1.00×

€1.8M • 0% above median

Haydon RobertsBristol City

21-23 • 23yo1.00×

€1.2M • 0% above median

Sam McCallumSheffield United

24-26 • 25yo0.78×

€1.4M • -22% above median

Ziyad LarkecheQueens Park Rangers

21-23 • 23yo0.67×

€800K • -33% above median

Brandon WilliamsHull City

24-26 • 25yo0.67×

€1.2M • -33% above median

Miguel Ángel BrauCoventry City

24-26 • 24yo0.56×

€1.0M • -44% above median

Rank	Player	Age	Bracket	Current Value	Bracket Median	PPVE
#1	Victor Kristiansen Leicester City	23	21-23	€15.0M	€1.2M	12.50×
#2	Samuel Iling-Junior West Bromwich Albion	22	21-23	€10.0M	€1.2M	8.33×
#3	Luke Thomas Leicester City	24	24-26	€6.0M	€1.8M	3.33×
#4	Liberato Cacace Wrexham AFC	25	24-26	€3.0M	€1.8M	1.67×
#5	Welington Southampton FC	25	24-26	€3.0M	€1.8M	1.67×
#6	Ben Chrisene Norwich City	22	21-23	€1.5M	€1.2M	1.25×
#7	Thierry Small Preston North End	21	21-23	€1.5M	€1.2M	1.25×
#8	Owen Beck Derby County	23	21-23	€1.3M	€1.2M	1.08×
#9	Harry Amass Sheffield Wednesday	19	U21	€5.0M	€5.0M	1.00×
#10	Lee Buchanan Birmingham City	25	24-26	€1.8M	€1.8M	1.00×
#11	Haydon Roberts Bristol City	23	21-23	€1.2M	€1.2M	1.00×
#12	Sam McCallum Sheffield United	25	24-26	€1.4M	€1.8M	0.78×
#13	Ziyad Larkeche Queens Park Rangers	23	21-23	€800K	€1.2M	0.67×
#14	Brandon Williams Hull City	25	24-26	€1.2M	€1.8M	0.67×
#15	Miguel Ángel Brau Coventry City	24	24-26	€1.0M	€1.8M	0.56×
#16	Ewan Wilson Raith Rovers FC	21	21-23	€600K	€1.2M	0.50×
#17	Zak Sturge Millwall FC	21	21-23	€400K	€1.2M	0.33×
#18	James Morris Watford FC	24	24-26	€500K	€1.8M	0.28×
#19	James Furlong Hull City	23	21-23	€300K	€1.2M	0.25×
#20	Josh Reid Ross County FC	23	21-23	€200K	€1.2M	0.17×

Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

Recovery potential from current value to forecasted peak. Shows how much upside remains for players approaching their prime.

Understanding Return-to-Peak Potential (RPP)

Swansea City's Ishé Samuels-Smith at 19 years old has the highest Return-to-Peak Potential at +40%. That means Ishé Samuels-Smith is projected to appreciate 40% as they reach their peak age in 7 years—representing significant upside before entering their prime.

In second is Sheffield Wednesday's Harry Amass, who is 19 years old, with a +40% RPP (7 years to peak). Third is Ewan Wilson of Raith Rovers FC, who is 21 years old with a +30% RPP (5 years to peak).

How RPP is calculated: RPP compares a player's current market value to their forecasted peak value, calculating the percentage appreciation potential. A 40% RPP means the player is expected to gain 40% value as they enter their prime—making them excellent growth investments.

Recovery Potential by Player

Ishé Samuels-SmithSwansea City

7yr to peak+40%

€700K → €1.2M

Harry AmassSheffield Wednesday

7yr to peak+40%

€5.0M → €8.3M

Ewan WilsonRaith Rovers FC

5yr to peak+30%

€600K → €862K

Thierry SmallPreston North End

5yr to peak+30%

€1.5M → €2.2M

Zak SturgeMillwall FC

5yr to peak+30%

€400K → €575K

Samuel Iling-JuniorWest Bromwich Albion

4yr to peak+25%

€10.0M → €13.4M

Ben ChriseneNorwich City

4yr to peak+25%

€1.5M → €2.0M

Kieran NgwenyaDunfermline Athletic FC

3yr to peak+20%

€175K → €218K

Haydon RobertsBristol City

3yr to peak+20%

€1.2M → €1.5M

James FurlongHull City

3yr to peak+20%

€300K → €373K

Owen BeckDerby County

3yr to peak+20%

€1.3M → €1.6M

Josh ReidRoss County FC

3yr to peak+20%

€200K → €249K

Ziyad LarkecheQueens Park Rangers

3yr to peak+20%

€800K → €995K

Victor KristiansenLeicester City

3yr to peak+20%

€15.0M → €18.6M

Luke ThomasLeicester City

2yr to peak+14%

€6.0M → €6.9M

Rank	Player	Age	Years to Peak	Current	Peak Forecast	RPP %
#1	Ishé Samuels-Smith Swansea City	19	7	€700K	€1.2M	+40%
#2	Harry Amass Sheffield Wednesday	19	7	€5.0M	€8.3M	+40%
#3	Ewan Wilson Raith Rovers FC	21	5	€600K	€862K	+30%
#4	Thierry Small Preston North End	21	5	€1.5M	€2.2M	+30%
#5	Zak Sturge Millwall FC	21	5	€400K	€575K	+30%
#6	Samuel Iling-Junior West Bromwich Albion	22	4	€10.0M	€13.4M	+25%
#7	Ben Chrisene Norwich City	22	4	€1.5M	€2.0M	+25%
#8	Kieran Ngwenya Dunfermline Athletic FC	23	3	€175K	€218K	+20%
#9	Haydon Roberts Bristol City	23	3	€1.2M	€1.5M	+20%
#10	James Furlong Hull City	23	3	€300K	€373K	+20%
#11	Owen Beck Derby County	23	3	€1.3M	€1.6M	+20%
#12	Josh Reid Ross County FC	23	3	€200K	€249K	+20%
#13	Ziyad Larkeche Queens Park Rangers	23	3	€800K	€995K	+20%
#14	Victor Kristiansen Leicester City	23	3	€15.0M	€18.6M	+20%
#15	Luke Thomas Leicester City	24	2	€6.0M	€6.9M	+14%
#16	James Morris Watford FC	24	2	€500K	€578K	+14%
#17	Miguel Ángel Brau Coventry City	24	2	€1.0M	€1.2M	+14%
#18	Sam McCallum Sheffield United	25	1	€1.4M	€1.5M	+7%
#19	Brandon Williams Hull City	25	1	€1.2M	€1.3M	+7%
#20	Liberato Cacace Wrexham AFC	25	1	€3.0M	€3.2M	+7%

Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

Upside potential weighted against forecast uncertainty. Higher RAU = better risk-reward profile.

Understanding Risk-Adjusted Upside (RAU)

Swansea City's Ishé Samuels-Smith has the highest Risk-Adjusted Upside at 58.0. That means Ishé Samuels-Smith has 19% upside potential with only 0% forecast uncertainty—representing excellent risk-reward for value appreciation.

In second is Sheffield Wednesday's Harry Amass with a 58.0 RAU (19% upside, 0% uncertainty). Third is Thierry Small of Preston North End with a 33.7 RAU (10% upside, 0% uncertainty).

How RAU is calculated: RAU divides upside potential by forecast uncertainty (RAU = Upside % ÷ Uncertainty %). A RAU of 58.0 means the upside is 58.0× greater than the uncertainty—making it a high-confidence growth opportunity. Target RAU ≥2.0 for balanced risk-reward.

Risk-Adjusted Upside by Player

Ishé Samuels-SmithSwansea City

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €718K - €949K

Harry AmassSheffield Wednesday

↑19% / ±0%58.0

Range: €5.1M - €6.8M

Thierry SmallPreston North End

↑10% / ±0%33.7

Range: €1.4M - €1.9M

Ewan WilsonRaith Rovers FC

↑10% / ±0%33.7

Range: €570K - €753K

Zak SturgeMillwall FC

↑10% / ±0%33.7

Range: €380K - €502K

Victor KristiansenLeicester City

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €14.1M - €18.0M

Haydon RobertsBristol City

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €1.1M - €1.4M

James FurlongHull City

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €283K - €360K

Owen BeckDerby County

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €1.2M - €1.6M

Kieran NgwenyaDunfermline Athletic FC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €165K - €210K

Josh ReidRoss County FC

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €188K - €240K

Ziyad LarkecheQueens Park Rangers

↑7% / ±0%27.5

Range: €754K - €959K

Ben ChriseneNorwich City

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €1.4M - €1.8M

Samuel Iling-JuniorWest Bromwich Albion

↑6% / ±0%23.0

Range: €9.3M - €11.9M

Alex BanguraMiddlesbrough FC

↑3% / ±0%12.0

Range: €634K - €807K

Rank	Player	Expected	Range	Upside %	RAU
#1	Ishé Samuels-Smith Swansea City	€833K	€718K-949K	+19%	58.0
#2	Harry Amass Sheffield Wednesday	€6.0M	€5.1M-6.8M	+19%	58.0
#3	Thierry Small Preston North End	€1.7M	€1.4M-1.9M	+10%	33.7
#4	Ewan Wilson Raith Rovers FC	€662K	€570K-753K	+10%	33.7
#5	Zak Sturge Millwall FC	€441K	€380K-502K	+10%	33.7
#6	Victor Kristiansen Leicester City	€16.1M	€14.1M-18.0M	+7%	27.5
#7	Haydon Roberts Bristol City	€1.3M	€1.1M-1.4M	+7%	27.5
#8	James Furlong Hull City	€321K	€283K-360K	+7%	27.5
#9	Owen Beck Derby County	€1.4M	€1.2M-1.6M	+7%	27.5
#10	Kieran Ngwenya Dunfermline Athletic FC	€187K	€165K-210K	+7%	27.5
#11	Josh Reid Ross County FC	€214K	€188K-240K	+7%	27.5
#12	Ziyad Larkeche Queens Park Rangers	€857K	€754K-959K	+7%	27.5
#13	Ben Chrisene Norwich City	€1.6M	€1.4M-1.8M	+6%	23.0
#14	Samuel Iling-Junior West Bromwich Albion	€10.6M	€9.3M-11.9M	+6%	23.0
#15	Alex Bangura Middlesbrough FC	€721K	€634K-807K	+3%	12.0
#16	Leif Davis Ipswich Town	€22.7M	€19.9M-25.4M	+3%	12.0
#17	Josh Tymon Swansea City	€3.6M	€3.2M-4.0M	+3%	12.0
#18	Ryan Giles Hull City	€4.6M	€4.1M-5.2M	+3%	12.0
#19	Eric-Junior Bocat Stoke City	€2.3M	€2.0M-2.5M	+3%	12.0
#20	Alex Cochrane Birmingham City	€2.1M	€1.8M-2.3M	+3%	12.0

Roster Pressure Index (RPI)

Squad depth pressure based on Z-score distribution. Negative RPI = thin depth, positive = deep roster.

What This Shows

Z-Score explained: Measures how many standard deviations a player's strength is from the position average. Z-Score = 0 means average, +1.0 is one standard deviation above average, -1.0 is below average.

How to use: RPI < -1.0 indicates critical depth shortage. These positions need immediate reinforcement. RPI > +1.0 suggests strong depth, allowing selective, high-value additions only.

Current market: left-back position shows weak depth (avg Z-score: -0.00). RPI: -0.00.

Position Depth Analysis

Total Players

-0.00

Avg Z-Score

-0.00

RPI Score

Weak DepthStrong Depth

-3.00+3.0

Highest Z-Scores

Leif Davis+4.99

Victor Kristiansen+3.20

Samuel Iling-Junior+1.92

Luke Thomas+0.90

Harry Amass+0.65

Lowest Z-Scores

Sean Mackie-0.59

Enda Stevens-0.59

Scott McMann-0.58

Kieran Ngwenya-0.58

Josh Reid-0.58

Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Identifies players capturing disproportionate value relative to age group representation. Positive ASC = value concentration.

Understanding Age-Share Concentration (ASC)

Birmingham City's Alex Cochrane in the 24-26 age bracket has the highest Age-Share Concentration at +16.0%. That means Leif Davis captures 45.8% of total market value while representing only 29.8% of players in their age group—showing dominant elite status.

In second is Swansea City's Josh Tymon with a +16.0% ASC (45.8% value share vs 29.8% player share in 24-26 bracket). Third is Alex Bangura of Middlesbrough FC with a +16.0% ASC (45.8% value vs 29.8% players in 24-26 bracket).

How ASC is calculated: ASC = (% of total value) - (% of total players) in age bracket. A +16.0% ASC means the player captures 16.0% more market value than their numerical representation—indicating marquee status. ASC > +15% = elite dominance, ASC < -15% = potential value targets.