Birmingham City news: Demarai Gray reunion, Craig Dawson swoop, Lewis O’Brien interest | OneFootball

FLW brings you the latest news surrounding Birmingham City.

Excitement is brewing at Birmingham City, with the summer transfer window offering the chance for Blues to bolster their squad as they prepare for a return to the Championship.

Owner Tom Wagner has ambitious plans for the club, with preparations being put in place for the upcoming second tier season after bouncing back at the first attempt.

Smashing the record League One points tally and resoundingly lifting the third-tier title, the West Midlands outfit are expected to be significantly backed financially by Wagner as they search for a return to the Premier League as quickly as possible, but Blues will first have to build a squad that can compete in such a relentless 46-game campaign.

As transfer activity ramps up over the next few weeks, FLW rounds-up the latest news for the West Midlands outfit.

Birmingham City closing in on Demarai Gray reunion

Birmingham City are closing in on a reunion with Demarai Gray, nine years since he departed St Andrew’s.

Journalist Alan Nixon reported last weekend that Birmingham were closing in on a deal to bring the winger back to his hometown club.

Since originally departing Blues, stints at Bayer Leverkusen, Everton, and most recently Al Ettifaq followed, along with 24 caps for the Jamaican national team, but it appears that Gray is rewinding the clock to where it all began at the age of 28.

A previous report from GIVEMESPORT revealed Gray was valued at £8 million by Al-Ettifaq amid interest from Birmingham, Sunderland and Fiorentina, but it remains unclear whether Blues have matched that figure or negotiated a lower price.

Birmingham City enter the race for Craig Dawson

Birmingham City are the latest club to join the race to sign Wolves defender Craig Dawson.

Alan Nixon has reported that Birmingham have entered the mix to sign the former West Brom defender, and are set to rival the likes of Derby County and Wrexham for his signature.

Dawson is out of contract at Molineux at the end of June and is to be released by Wolves after two-and-a-half years with the club.

The availability of such an experienced defender has attracted the interest of Blues, with Dawson featuring 57 times in the second tier while at the Baggies and Bolton Wanderers.

Birmingham City keen on summer swoop for Lewis O’Brien

Birmingham City have also been linked with bolstering their midfield ranks this summer, and have been touted to make a move for Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien.

Blues and Southampton have both joined the race, according to a fresh report from Alan Nixon, while the likes of Hull City, Preston North End and Swansea City are also keen on acquiring the 26-year-old.

The report states that Blues and Saints are both interested in signing O'Brien on a permanent basis, although such plans do have the potential to be disrupted when the clubs learn more about Forest's asking price for the former Huddersfield Town man.

O’Brien arrived for the second half at Swansea and immediately impressed, slotting into the first-team fold immediately. The midfielder would go on to play 16 times, scoring once and completing 90 minutes in all but one match.

He would certainly be a preferable addition to the Blues squad given his wealth of Championship experience, but time will tell how much Forest will demand.