Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reveals why Birmingham City & Wrexham AFC are a "different case" when it comes to Championship promotion | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie believes that Birmingham City and Wrexham AFC can fight for Championship promotion next year

Championship football beckons for Birmingham City and Wrexham next season after the pair both achieved promotion from League One at the first time of asking, and with ambitious owners operating in both camps, it could be a summer to remember for the supporters of these clubs.

Birmingham spent handsomely following their drop to the third-tier, securing big-money deals for players such as Willum Willumsson and Christoph Klarer, before smashing the League One transfer record to acquire Jay Stansfield for a reported £15 million.

Wrexham spent rather modestly in comparison, but smart deals for those including Sam Smith from Reading and Ollie Rathbone have ultimately served the club well.

As the duo attempt to mix it in the Championship next term, Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett believes that Birmingham and Wrexham will be amongst the division’s highest spenders – and could be rivalling the likes of Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich for new acquisitions.

Lee Hendrie reacts to Sky Sports’ big-money prediction for promoted pair

Former Aston Villa midfielder and Sky Sports pundit, Lee Hendrie, believes that there is no reason why Birmingham and Wrexham can’t use their fiscal might to fight for promotion next season.

Hendrie stated that due to the pair’s excellent ownership situation, they can challenge at the top immediately, which isn’t usually the norm for sides promoted from League One.

“I think the spending power always comes into it,” explained the Sky Sports pundit when speaking exclusively to Football League World.

“I think that favours them being promoted, so they're in a really good position and predicament.

“After what Wrexham and Birmingham have done last season, why shouldn't they be real strong candidates of going and getting promoted again?

“I think that we see teams coming out of League One, and they probably haven't got the money and the strong incentives to bring in players that can have that bounce factor to go again.

“This is a different case with Wrexham and Birmingham City.

“I feel that they'll be amongst play-offs, and there is a big case to say that they'll go up automatically.

“However, that all depends on the teams that are coming down and the investments there, but I do feel that they have real strong stakes, both of them clubs, to go and get a promotion again, be it play-offs or automatically.

A Premier League push for the duo

Ultimately, the end goal for both Birmingham and Wrexham isn’t the second-tier.

With two ambitious ownership groups, the holy grail of the Premier League has always been the main aim and now both clubs have the opportunity to achieve it.

Although tighter financial restrictions in the Championship may somewhat quell their plans, you can’t help but feel that the pair mean business and won’t stop at anything to reach the top.

Both squads will need some serious readjustments if they are to secure top-flight football for the 2026/2027 season, but according to Sky Sports’ Dorsett, Birmingham and Wrexham are very much prepared to state their intent with a window for the history books this summer.

If they do spend big and recruit well, then there’s no reason why the pair can’t battle it out for promotion next term.