"Certainly be gone" - Exclusive: Lee Hendrie tips senior Birmingham City player for exit | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, Lee Hendrie has offered his thoughts on the future of Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson.

Dion Sanderson doesn't appear to be in Birmingham City manager Chris Davies' long-term plans.

The 25-year-old centre-back enjoyed two separate loan spells with the Blues during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons respectively, before finally putting pen to paper on a permanent contract with the club in the summer of 2023.

Having made 37 Championship appearances for Birmingham last season, of which every one of those were starts, Sanderson looked set to play an important role for City in League One this term.

However, after making just two appearances in the third tier during the first half of the campaign, he was loaned out to Championship side Blackburn Rovers on 10 January for the remainder of the season.

"Look at it logically" - Lee Hendrie makes Dion Sanderson, Birmingham City transfer prediction

Speaking exclusively with Football League World, we asked Sky Sports pundit and former player, Lee Hendrie: 'Do you expect Birmingham City to permanently sell Dion Sanderson this summer? He's clearly not in Chris Davies' plans?'

Hendrie said: "Yes, I think so.

"I think Dion Sanderson will certainly be gone in the summer. Obviously, when you don't feature straight away, then you have to think of your possible moves in the summer, and that's what I think will happen with him.

"I think he will leave the football club. Obviously, they're going to get promoted, and I think they'll look to bolster that squad even more.

"So yes, I think that you have to look at it logically; he will no doubt leave Birmingham City in the summer, I'd say, because he'll want to go and get game-time himself."

Dion Sanderson at stage of his career where Birmingham City bench isn't an option

At 25, Sanderson is now firmly in that stage of his career where regular football is essential.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers academy graduate certainly doesn't appear to hold much hope of attaining that with Birmingham City, and as such, he will surely be doing his due diligence on his potential options ahead of a summer move.

Sanderson is clearly a player with talent, and with a considerable amount of Championship experience on his CV with the likes of Birmingham, Blackburn, QPR and Cardiff City respectively, he will likely garner interest from a number of EFL sides.

Indeed, the very fact that he was able to secure a loan move to the division above despite his highly limited playing time in League One this season, is perhaps a solid indicator as to how his ability levels are viewed by some in the game.

With Birmingham simply needing to dot the i's and cross the t's on their promotion back to the Championship, and with highly ambitious owners behind them who've shown they aren't afraid to loosen the purse strings when it comes to recruitment, Sanderson will surely play no further part in the St Andrew's revolution.