The main contenders to win the Championship and get promoted

England’s second tier of football looks set to offer another competitive season of football. As usual, the teams relegated from the Premier League will be looking to bounce straight back, with Ipswich seemingly having the best chance of doing exactly that, at least according to bookmakers. 

Sheffield United (8/1) will be hoping to go one better than this season when they narrowly lost out to Sunderland in the playoff final. And big-spending Wrexham (20/1) will be hoping to make it an unprecedented fourth consecutive promotion.

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Ipswich (9/2)

Ipswich are favourites to win the Championship and get automatic promotion straight back to the Premier League. However, the club are set to lose star player Liam Delap, with Chelsea and Manchester United willing to activate the former Manchester City striker’s £30m release clause. 

Ipswich’s hopes of a swift Premier League return will depend on how well Kieran McKenna reinvests that money, and whether Jack Clarke can finally hit form for the Tractor Boys. 

Ipswich are 9/2 to win the league and 6/4 to gain promotion. 

Southampton (13/2)

Southampton narrowly avoided setting a new record for the lowest Premier League points tally, and despite avoiding that particular feat, the Saints did break the record for the quickest confirmed relegation and for the most losses in a single campaign. 

However, Will Still has been confirmed as the new manager and it is likely the club will undergo considerable changes in the transfer window. 

Despite that, they are 13/2 second favourites to win the league and have been given odds of 2/1 to win promotion.

Birmingham (8/1)

Birmingham amassed a huge 111 points to gain promotion from League One last season, and the bookmakers clearly think they have enough to achieve back-to-back promotions. Along with Wrexham, Birmingham are expected to be among the biggest spenders outside the Premier League this transfer window. 

The Blues smashed the League One transfer record when they spent £15m on Jay Stansfield last August. 

They are 8/1 to win the league and have been given odds of 5/2 to win promotion.

Sheffield United (8/1)

Also priced at 8/1 to win the league are Sheffield United, who finished third in the Championship last year and lost out to Sunderland in the playoff final. 

Reports suggest the Blades could lose Championship Player of the Season, Gus Hamer, with Everton thought to be especially keen on the midfielder, who had 18 goal contributions from the middle of the park. 

Sheffield United are 9/4 to go one better this season and win promotion to the Premier League.

Wrexham (20/1)

This transfer window will also be busy for Hollywood-owned Wrexham. Wrexham have already enjoyed three consecutive promotions and while it may be a step too far for the Welsh club to pick up a fourth, bookmakers aren’t ruling out their chances. 

Although unconfirmed by the club’s owners, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, or their manager, Phil Parkinson, the Red Dragons are believed to be ready to spend between £25m and £30m this summer and have already been linked to several players with Premier League experience, including Jamie Vardy. 

Wrexham are considered an outside chance with odds of 20/1 to win the league and 13/2 to gain promotion.

Odds on winning The Championship and gaining promotion, correct at the time of writing, and provided by Ladbrokes.