Jordan James to be sold? Birmingham City must sort these 3 issues before August 30th | OneFootball

We look at three issues facing Birmingham City ahead of the transfer deadline in late August.

It’s been a chaotic period at Birmingham City after they suffered a disappointing relegation to League One on the final day of last season.

Dropping to the third tier certainly wasn’t part of the grand plan for Blues’ US owners, but there’s no doubt that Tom Wagner and his group will have learnt a lot of lessons over the past 12 months.

Despite the relegation, the bold ambitions remain in place at St. Andrew’s, and the fans will feel that the club can make significant progress under the guidance of the owners.

Birmingham City targeting promotion next season

With Tony Mowbray sadly unable to continue in his role of manager due to illness, the club were on the lookout for a new boss this summer, and the appointment of Chris Davies was announced earlier this month.

This is the ex-Leicester City assistant’s first role as the main man in the professional game, and he will be relishing the opportunity to try and take Blues up the Football League.

However, to do that, he will need backing in the market, and there’s a lot of activity at St. Andrew’s over the coming weeks as Davies tries to mould the squad to suit his style of play.

With that in mind, we look at THREE issues that are facing Birmingham ahead of the deadline in late August…

Jordan James faces uncertain future

In an ideal world, Blues would be building around Jordan James in the years to come.

He is an academy graduate, he is a quality player, and he has the potential to improve. In what has been a disappointing few years on the pitch, he has been a standout, bringing energy and drive to the middle of the park, and he has a real ability to pop up in goalscoring positions, and the technique and composure to finish off chances that come his way.

However, relegation to League One means the club are in a difficult position when it comes to retaining the Welsh international.

Firstly, there is a financial impact of dropping to the third tier, so, like all clubs who suffer relegation, a few player sales may be necessary to ensure Blues balance the books and comply with PSR rules.

Then, James is sure to want to play at the highest level possible, and with clubs like Atalanta known to be chasing him, it would be hard to convince the 19-year-old that he should remain in League One when he could be part of a squad that will be in the Champions League if he did go to the Serie A outfit.

But, Blues are aiming high in the long-term, and retaining the youngster would be a real statement of intent, so it shouldn't be ruled out completely.

Bringing in a new striker

There were several factors that contributed to Blues’ relegation, but one of the biggest problems was the lack of a number nine. In truth, it’s been the case for some time.

So, that’s something that Davies will look to rectify in the summer, and whilst you would expect a lot of business to take place, the big signing for Blues has to be a striker.

There’s an expectation that money will be available, with recent talk of a massive £20m budget, so the club should be in a position to sign a quality player by League One standards.

But, as we know, money doesn’t guarantee success, and the recruitment team needs to get things right after a difficult past few windows.

Recent links to Bojan Miovski are encouraging, and even though that seems like a long shot, it shows that Blues recognise the importance of getting in a proven goalscorer over the next few months.

Davies is sure to spend a chunk of those available funds on an attacker, and it's the one addition they really must prioritise.

Another influential figure who faces an uncertain future is Bielik.

Simply put, the Polish international is someone who shouldn't be playing in League One, as he is a quality operator, whether that's in central defence or in a defensive midfield role.

But, injury issues over the years have hindered his progress, and he still has two years left on what will be a decent contract with Blues, so moving him on may make financial sense.

The player may not find an easy exit route, and if it's possible to keep him at the club, it's something Davies must push to make happen.

The new boss is going to want to implement a stylish brand of football, which means having players in deep positions who are comfortable on the ball is imperative, and Bielik certainly fits the bill on that front.

He would also bring leadership and experience to a Birmingham side that will be expected to win promotion back at the first attempt.