Both Birmingham City and Wrexham will be attempting to unsettle the Championship after promotion, knowing full well that they have immense pulling power as teams on the rise.
After all, Chris Davies’ runaway League One champions didn’t just win Jay Stansfield by chance, with St. Andrew’s a glamorous location to now ply your trade courtesy of Tom Wagner’s mega millions boosting the once downtrodden giants.
Therefore, if they were able to tempt their top scorer down to the third tier, it’s amazing to contemplate what other earth-shattering signings they could now get in through the door.
The Blues are certainly dominating a lot of EFL conversation this summer with who they’re being linked with, with this dream XI below surely the best plausible lineup Davies could call upon when the excitement of Championship action gets underway.
1 GK – Mark Travers
Firstly, Birmingham might well believe they need to improve in-between the sticks when adjusting back up to the second tier.
Their usual number one goalkeeper Ryan Allsop only shipped 26 goals in league action last season, but if they were able to land Mark Travers – following links to the Bournemouth man – he would surely get the first-team nod over the recent promotion winner.
After all, Travers has significant experience in the Championship on his side with 76 career games at the level under his belt. To add to that, he has also kept a respectable 26 clean sheets along the way.
2 RB – Ethan Laird
Whilst there could be some change in goal, Ethan Laird will be hopeful that his secure first-team spot at right-back remains set in stone for the jump up.
The ex-Manchester United full-back was as much of an attacking menace for the Blues last season as he was a defensive warrior, as seen in his impressive five goals and four assists in league action, on top of also winning a high 6.4 duels on average per contest.
3 CB – Ben Davies
The second signing Birmingham could make is to bring loan hero Ben Davies back permanently after he was a defensive colossus all of last campaign, away from parent employers Rangers.
Davies would strike up a fine partnership with Christoph Klarer – as seen in the pair tallying up a mammoth 38 clean sheets between them – with the Blues boss hopeful that the experienced 29-year-old can look as assured in the league above if he remains put.
4 CB – Christoph Klarer
The aforementioned Klarer would love to line up alongside his ex-Preston North End teammate once more, having been near faultless next to the 6-foot-1 enforcer at the top end of League One.
The dominant Austrian is also very deserving of his plaudits, considering he managed to register seven big chances created playing out from the back, away from just merely putting his equally towering frame to good use.
5 LB – Alex Cochrane
Making up the final component of the imposing back four is former Hearts man Alex Cochrane.
Much like his partner in crime down the right, Cochrane has been able to show off his ability to create chances galore throughout the League One season, culminating in him creating a sizeable nine big chances from 42 overall clashes.
To cap off his sterling individual campaign, the 25-year-old also bagged this beauty against Stevenage in April.
6 CM – Tomoki Iwata
Heading into the midfield areas and Tomoki Iwata will be keen to prove himself as a Championship-ready talent after some stylish showings in the third tier.
Iwata would go on to be an absolute steal from Celtic when joining for around £the £800k mark, considering the Japanese midfielder would round off his first-ever EFL adventure with eight goals and two assists next to his name.
7 CM – Kanya Fuijmoto
Iwata might well be joined by a new teammate centrally, however, as Birmingham continue to be linked with a switch for Gil Vicente ace Kanya Fujimoto.
The newly promoted side must be holding out hope that Fujimoto can be Iwata 2.0 on his potential St. Andrew’s arrival, with the 28-year-old’s compatriot proving himself to be as slick as the Blues number 24 playing out in Portugal.
Whilst he is comfortable slotting in as a number ten – as seen in his five goals and five assists in league action last season – Fujimoto can also line up as a traditional central midfield option, meaning he could partner Iwata very soon in England.
8 RM – Kwame Poku
Birmingham won’t be content with just three new purchases ahead of Championship football triumphantly returning with a fourth potentially in the offing with Kwame Poku, amid reports that an offer has been made to the Peterborough star.
It’s been a drawn-out saga this summer already involving Poku and Davies’ side, but if Birmingham are finally successful in landing the tricky Ghanaian’s services over a crazy 25 other suitors, he would slot into the team effortlessly down the right wing.
24/25
31
12
11
23/24
47
12
8
22/23
45
5
9
21/22
23
0
2
Posh manager Darren Ferguson would hail Poku as “unplayable” just this season gone, and when taking his consistent brilliance above, it’s clear to see why, with a ridiculous 23 goal contributions notched up across a memorable 2024/25.
Surely, he’s now ready for the challenge of affirming himself as an EFL superstar even more in the West Midlands.
9 CAM – Jay Stansfield
Stansfield is arguably another big name when it comes to the EFL, with Birmingham fans head over heels for the former Fulham forward.
He would end his own distinguished 2024/25 campaign by firing home 19 league strikes, meaning he could absolutely terrorise Championship defences when partnered with Poku.
10 LM – Keshi Anderson
Whilst the likes of Stansfield stole most of the limelight during Birmingham’s smooth title success, Keshi Anderson also regularly put in fine performances as a more seasoned head of the group.
In all competitions, the pacey left winger would tally up a hefty nine goals and eight assists, with Davies confident now that the experienced attacker can come good in the second tier, having played here previously and somewhat struggled with ex-employers Blackpool.
