BRUM IS BLUE!

It’s summer and while there is still Premier League football as well as Play Offs for the EFL taking place but Blues season is over so I thought I’d turn my attention to the Transfer Window which opens in just over two weeks.

Firstly though I’ve seen several media outlets mentioning two summer windows which completely threw me as I’d never heard of their being two windows before. A quick look on Google tells me that it’s not really two windows but that the summer window is having a break this year. I thought this was odd and then found out that the huge tournament in which no doubt millions around the world will eagerly tune into this summer has taken priority over the usual summer transfer activity. I am of course talking about the Club World Cup.

Now, ultimately I don’t think the closure will have a significantly negative impact and I can see with it being a club tournament why the decision to pause the window would be made but I just think if you’re in the tournament you’re not going to sell players until after anyway so it realistically shouldn’t impact the window. I could be wrong and the “two windows” could be for some other reason that I’m not aware of. That said, Blues already seem to be quite active in recruitment and I think we can expect a busy summer.

Release List

Blues yesterday issues their released and retained list. There were no real surprises within the list Grant Hanley and South Korean defender Lee Myung-Jae have both come to the end of their contracts and there doesn’t appear to be much of an appetite to keep them. Both defenders joined midway through the season to offer a greater level of depth but with the step up to the Championship I suspect Blues are going to eye up more lower Premier League quality players.

Talk is suggesting that Hanley will potentially head to Rangers where he spent two years of his youth career before moving to Blackburn. Lee Myung-Jae was no real shock, he joined very late in the season and made just three appearances while with Blues. He wasn’t a stand out player but he did have a decent cross, ultimately though I don’t think he’d have done well in the Championship.

Three loan players have also returned to their parent clubs: Luke Harris returns to Fulham, Kieran Dowell and Ben Davies both return to Rangers. All three players I felt were very good players, I’d have potentially liked to keep them all and talks have started with Rangers to make the Davies move a permanent with Davies himself keen on a return to St Andrews so I’ll keep an eye on how that one progresses.

Finally the big one from the main squad is the GOAT. Lukas Jutkiewicz announced his retirement towards the end of the season and bowed out in style (Although the goal didn’t get credited to him we’ll all put it as his in our hearts!) with emotional scenes. Jukey became a fan favourite over the 9 years he spent at the club, I’d have liked to see him hit ten seasons as a player along with a testimonial match but as it stands he’ll be remaining with the club in a coaching capacity.

Of the youth squad there were ten departures: Ben Beresford, Junior Dixon, Josh Horne, Femi Olofinjana, Laiith Fairnie, Harley Hamilton, Sahid Kamara, Stoyan Pergelov and Oliver Sayer. All players reached the end of their contracts and the club has decided not to offer them new deals.

Incoming Transfers

So with the departures there will be some recruitment to be done and some already has. We’re all aware that Phil Neumann has been brought in, the centre back joins formally on the 1st July from Hannover 96 who currently ply their trade in the German second tier.

The towering centre back will offer Blues size and strength at the back, he’s good at winning balls in the air as well and all reports from people who have actually seen him play are very complimentary of him. Potentially set to be the rock at the back Neumann is expected to fit in and hit the ground running as the physicality of the English League isn’t too far apart from the German League.

Blues have also converted Alfons Sampsted loan deal into a permanent, a move that was confirmed earlier in the season. He made 17 appearances last season scoring once along the way.

Rumour Mill

So to close things off I thought I’d look at the rumour mill and I imagine that by now most people have seen the rumour linking Blues with Che Adams. It’s one for me that I’m not sure is genuine, although I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a Blues shirt again. Che has bagged 49 goals in the Championship over the years along with a very prolific Premier League spell as well but Blues have Stansfield and May already on their books and you would expect at least Stansfield to be in starting contention.

I also think the size of the fee with have a big implication on if Blues make a move or not. While the owners aren’t afraid to flex their financial muscle when necessary but I don’t think they’ll do it recklessly so when we’re also linked with Kwame Poku it suggests to me that we’re shopping around currently. Poku is the League One top scorer and talks had advanced but now seem to have stalled with Blues preferring not to get into a bidding war for his signature.

Blues were also linked with Nathan Redmond in the January Window and while this could well have been paper talk the 31 year old is now available on a free. I wouldn’t mind bringing him in for a year either but I suppose the noise just shows that the club is already active in the transfer market while we wait for it to open.

The other player I’ve seen linked with the club is one I’ve not heard of before, I must admit. Kanya Fujimoto is a 25 year old Japanese Midfielder who currently plays for Gil Vicente, the top league in Portugal where he joined on loan in 2020 making the move permanent in 2022. He has made 157 appearances for them in all competitions and scored 15 goals.

That said there is suggestions that the talks have hit a wall as there are concerns over the players fitness and one thing Blues don’t need is another player that will be out injured during this 2025/26 Campaign as we look to secure back to back promotions.