The 3 Birmingham City players surely keen to escape St Andrew's this summer | OneFootball

Birmingham City are set for a very busy summer as owner Tom Wagner looks to build a team that can live up to the lofty ambitions he has.

Birmingham City’s summer plans

Of course, the club still don’t know what division they will be playing in next season, but that doesn’t change the fact that fans recognise that Blues are heading in the right direction under their American owner.

Dropping to League One would be a major setback, but with the club having purchased a site for a new stadium, and grand plans to increase the profile of Birmingham, you do get the feeling that good times will return to the club at some point.

There’s no doubt the club has made mistakes on the football side of things since their arrival, but the summer will give them a chance to start rectifying that.

There’s likely to be a high turnover of players ahead of next season, and there will be excitement about who comes through the door.

THREE players who will surely want to leave Blues…

Neil Etheridge

The goalkeeping situation at Birmingham is going to have to be addressed quickly, with John Ruddy and Neil Etheridge both out of contract.

With the latter, an exit would appear to suit all parties, as he has spent the past few years as backup. So, as much as Blues would be open to letting him go, Etheridge would welcome the chance for a fresh start elsewhere.

At 34, he should still have a few years left in the game at a decent level, even if it’s likely to mean he drops down the leagues.

Jordan James

It’s perhaps unfair to say that James will be ‘keen’ to leave Blues, but it’s natural to have your head turned when there’s Premier League interest.

A host of top-flight clubs from across Europe, including the likes of Crystal Palace and Atalanta, have tracked the Welsh international, and it’s clear that he has the ability to play at a higher level.

Wagner won’t want to sell such a prized asset, but James would bring in a substantial fee, and that money could help the club in terms of PSR, and also allow them to fund a rebuild in the window.

All at Blues know James is destined to play at the top, and this could be a good time for him to make the next step in his career, as hard as it is for some fans to accept.

The former Aston Villa man is another out of contract in the summer, and, like Etheridge, it seems inevitable that he will be on the move.

The striker is someone who will want to be playing week in, week out, but that’s not going to happen at St. Andrew’s, and his record shows why. Simply put, Hogan’s form has dropped off alarmingly this season, backed up by the fact he’s scored just once in the league, and he’s only playing a brief role from the bench.

At 32, Hogan’s days as a regular in the Championship might be over, but he could rediscover his love for the game at another club, and he will surely welcome the chance to find a new club in the summer.