It's no surprise Birmingham City are eyeing Sheffield Wednesday transfer raid: View | OneFootball

Birmingham City are preparing for life in League One after their relegation from the Championship.

Birmingham's slide towards League One

The Blues made the controversial decision to replace John Eustace with Wayne Rooney in October, despite sitting sixth in the table at the time, and it is fair to say the move did not work out.

Rooney was sacked in January after just two wins from his 15 games in charge, and his successor, Tony Mowbray, made a strong start to life in the role, but he was forced to step down temporarily in February due to health reasons.

Mowbray's assistant Mark Venus initially took charge in his absence, but after Birmingham picked up just one point from six games under his guidance, former manager Gary Rowett returned as interim head coach in March.

Rowett did improve the Blues' fortunes, but he was unable to prevent their relegation, and they will play in the third tier next season for the first time in 30 years.

Journalist Alan Nixon says that Mowbray is waiting on word from medical experts over when he can make his return to the club, and it would certainly be a big boost for Birmingham to have the 60-year-old back at the helm.

It looks set to be an incredibly competitive League One next season, but the Blues will have one of the biggest budgets in the division, and it seems as though work is already underway to rebuild the squad.

According to The Star, Birmingham are one of the sides interested in out-of-contract Sheffield Wednesday midfielder George Byers, and completing a deal for him would be an excellent start to the club's summer transfer business.

Birmingham should do everything possible to win George Byers race

Byers joined Wednesday from Swansea City in August 2021, and he quickly established himself as a firm fan favourite at Hillsborough.

The 27-year-old was one of the best midfielders in League One during his time with the Owls, and he played a crucial role in their promotion-winning campaign last season.

Byers scored one goal and registered one assist in 22 games in the first half of this season in the Championship, but many of his minutes came as a substitute after Danny Rohl replaced Xisco Munoz in October, and he was loaned out to League One side Blackpool in January.

It was a coup for the Seasiders to land Byers' signature, and just as he did at Wednesday, he quickly became a popular figure among supporters at Bloomfield Road.

Byers provided one assist in 16 games for Blackpool, and while their season ended in disappointment as they missed out on the play-offs on the final day, the midfielder's arrival coincided with a significant upturn in form for Neil Critchley's side.

Birmingham will face plenty of competition for Byers, but given owner Tom Wagner's ambitious plans for the club, they will likely be one of the most attractive propositions in League One.

Byers would add goals and creativity to the team, and his tireless work rate would make him a big asset for the Blues, so it would be a no-brainer for them to complete a deal for him if he is willing to make the move to St Andrew's.

The midfielder is an excellent technician who would be well-suited to Mowbray's possession-based style of play, and having achieved promotion from the third tier last season, that experience could be invaluable as Birmingham look to make an immediate return to the Championship.

With Jordan James likely to depart this summer, the Blues will need to strengthen in midfield over the coming months, and Byers would be the perfect addition.