Birmingham now showing interest in “special” forward

It’s been a very busy summer so far from Birmingham City’s perspective as they aim to take the Championship by storm.

Every passing day seems to throw up a new, tantalising transfer rumour for the Blues masses to feast on, with the likes of Kwame Poku, Demarai Gray, and many others potentially tipped to make the move to St. Andrew’s a constant topic of conversation.

Of course, whoever does enter the building this hectic summer will have to complement what Chris Davies already has at his disposal, with the title-winning boss no doubt confident that a large portion of his troops can take to their new division swimmingly.

In particular, Jay Stansfield will be raring to go after promotion, with the 22-year-old sharpshooter already proving himself to be a reliable finisher in the Championship previously, away from just causing plenty of havoc in League One.

Stansfield’s importance next season

After all, the ex-Fulham marksman didn’t just fluke his bumper 19-goal haul in league action last season.

Rather, the explosive 22-year-old routinely found himself in the right place at the right time to power home an opportunity, with only a mere 29 touches averaged per league clash, despite ending his successful campaign with his goal tally deep into the double digits.

The Blues hotshot is unlikely to be a one-season wonder, too, with Stansfield actually bagging 12 strikes the campaign prior for Birmingham when he was just a wide-eyed loanee, even as his team succumbed to relegation in the unforgiving Championship.

Now, with his team’s collective confidence at sky-high, Stansfield will pray he can show off this same goalscoring prowess towards the top-end of the division.

He could be boosted in the goalscoring department by this brand-new acquisition entering the assured ranks, with the new striker target in question potentially the second coming of the Blues number 28 if all goes to plan.

Birmingham eyeing deal for their next Stansfield

Even when plying their trade in League One momentarily, Birmingham still managed to pull off some statement deals, as seen in Stansfield leaving Craven Cottage behind for a permanent third-tier stay.

In the here and now, another statement deal similar to this capture could soon be on the cards, with Graeme Bailey exclusively revealing that Birmingham have an interest in signing Leeds United gem Joe Gelhardt, off the back of the Whites wanting to get rid after sealing promotion themselves up to the Premier League.

Wrexham is also noted as a fellow Championship club keen on Gelhardt – away from unnamed interest also being speculated from other second-tier outfits – with a loan deal the likely move on the table to satisfy all parties, considering he still has two years left on his Elland Road deal.

Despite experiencing a topsy-turvy few years on the books of the West Yorkshire outfit, Gelhardt would link up with Davies and Co with the same glowing reputation Stansfield possessed, having once been viewed as the next best thing coming out of Elland Road when they were regularly competing in the big time.

Indeed, the now 23-year-old centre-forward would collect an impressive two strikes and six assists for the Whites in the Premier League, with Jamie Carragher even once labelling the Liverpool-born ace as “special” off the back of his raw ability.

Stansfield was equally highly thought of when impressing in youth circles at Fulham – as seen in his blistering 38 strikes at youth level – but, much like Gelhardt will now be faced with, he had to spread his wings away from his boyhood side eventually, resulting in him now becoming Birmingham’s main man up top.

Based on the current Leeds man’s promising Championship numbers above with Hull City, he could soon be held in the same glowing light as Stansfield at St. Andrew’s, with his then Tigers boss Ruben Selles even heralding him as “exceptional” after helping his loan employers beat the drop.

With both Stansfield and Gelhardt at his disposal, Davies will be delighted with the options he could soon possess in attack, with the attacking duo perhaps what Birmingham need to push on even more after obliterating their League One competition with ease.