How Birmingham City's dream 2025/26 XI looks - Tom Fellows in, Ryan Allsop out | OneFootball

Football League World takes an in-depth look at a potential dream Birmingham City starting Xi in the Championship next season

Birmingham City are poised to undertake yet another ambitious, big-spending summer transfer window as they look to continue their transformative upwards trajectory after clinching a record-breaking League One promotion under Chris Davies in the 2024/25 campaign.

Blues, who scooped the third-tier title with an EFL-record points haul of 111, are reportedly set to rival recently-relegated Championship sides in Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton alongside certain Premier League clubs for transfer targets this summer.

Popular owners Knighthead will hold every intention of making yet another statement of intent in the coming weeks and months.

Birmingham spent lavishly in order to gain promotion from League One at the very first attempt and lay the groundwork for future success in the Championship and beyond, and considering the club's well-documented ambition to become a leading domestic force in the years to come, they will only be expected to continue their punchy spending spree amid a much-welcomed increase in revenue through promotion.

Exciting times lay ahead at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, and it seems inevitable that Davies' starting side come August is going to look markedly different to the one that secured promotion.

But what could Birmingham's dream starting XI look like for the Championship next term? Football League World takes a look...

GK: James Beadle

The first call of duty, it would seem, is recruiting a new and upgraded goalkeeper on Ryan Allsop, who manned the sticks excellently for Blues last season by keeping 20 clean sheets and conceding on just 20 occasions, but has enjoyed less fortune at Championship level in recent times.

Signed from Hull City last summer, Allsop's single season at the MKM Stadium was a mixed bag and he struggled to impress with Cardiff City the year before, while he also suffered relegation with both Derby County and Wycombe Wanderers - although the shot-stopper cannot be held accountable for those fates, particularly at Pride Park.

Nonetheless, Birmingham are clearly in the market for an upgrade and are progressing in their pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion's James Beadle, as per reports.

Beadle, an England youth international at every stage up to the under-21 set-up, spent last term on loan at Sheffield Wednesday following an impressive five-month stay in the Steel City the season prior.

The 20-year-old did make some high-profile blunders at Hillsborough, it must be said, but he has clear potential, his ball distribution quality suits what Davies demands from his goalkeepers to a tee and it will be hoped that a sterner defence than Danny Rohl's can help him out.

RB: Jimmy Dunne

Although upgrading on current first-choice right-back Ethan Laird does not necessarily feel like a priority for Birmingham at this moment in time, it's still an area they should explore if they successfully secure more pressing targets.

An ambitious move for QPR defender Jimmy Dunne, who remains in discussions over a new deal at Loftus Road ahead of the expiration of his contract at the end of June, would represent a real coup.

Dunne is known to have significant interest from Sheffield United, although fierce competition elsewhere does not mean Birmingham will fall short in getting deals over the line and they have the financial might to offer the ex-Manchester United prospect an extremely lucrative salary.

In terms of what Dunne would offer and why he could be an extremely strong piece of business for Birmingham, he has proven himself to be one of the finer defenders at Championship level over the last two seasons.

Tactically shrewd and versatile, Dunne can operate at either right-back or in central defence as part of a back four or five and, at the age of 27, is currently playing the best football of his career.

From a defensive standpoint, Dunne would come as a big upgrade on Laird, while he can also provide an edge going forward and scored five times for the R's in the Championship last season.

CB: Christoph Klarer

Christoph Klarer's status in the side is not subject to change anytime soon, and you would imagine that the Austrian forms a significant part of Davies' long-term plans.

Among a series of high-profile recruits last summer, the ex-Darmstadt man shone in League One and established himself as one of the classiest defenders to grace both the third-tier and St Andrew's in many a year.

Aerially dominant with a superb reading of the game and the ball-playing qualities to boot, Klarer's classy profile should translate seamlessly to the Championship.

CB: Harry Darling

Finding a partner for Klarer, however, is on Birmingham's wishlist following Ben Davies' return to Rangers from a successful loan in B9.

One player who fits the bill in terms of the type of pedigree and profile Birmingham will be looking to recruit is already-linked Swansea City defender Harry Darling, who is of interest to Blues alongside Norwich City, Rangers, Stoke and Wrexham as he looks set to run down his current deal in South Wales and leave on a free transfer at the end of this month.

As a ball-playing, left-footed central defender, Darling would slot straight into Davies' system and would even offer an upgrade on the departed Davies after shining for Swansea over the last three seasons.

The 25-year-old also found the back of the net on five occasions last term, and given that Birmingham will likely have to place a somewhat-stronger emphasis on utilising set pieces next time around, his goal threat is yet another plus point.

LB: Alex Cochrane

There are sure to be some changes to Birmingham's backline, although dependable left-back Harry Cochrane should keep his starting spot locked down ahead of his second season with Blues after joining from Hearts last summer.

The 25-year-old's energy up and down the left-hand side made him a big hit during his debut campaign in the Second City, and like many, he possesses the quality to make the step-up to the second-tier with flying colours.

CDM: Seung-Ho Paik

It doesn't seem likely that Birmingham will elect for too much change in the midfield engine room considering its current strength, and classy operator Seung-Ho Paik looks set to retain his starting berth heading into the Championship.

The 21-cap South Korean international starred in League One - as expected, of course - and his willingness to screen the defence and commit to the more industrious side of the game out of possession allowed Birmingham's forward players the freedom to thrive.

That's only going to be even more important in the Championship, while his press resistance and range of passing is also crucial for Davies' side to dictate the tempo and keep play ticking over.

Paik enjoyed a superb midfield partnership with Tomoki Iwata, and Birmingham should not be looking to break up that chemistry quite just yet.

Iwata always really felt a class or two above League One and has the quality both in and out of possession to shine in a similar vein at Championship level.

Picked up from Celtic last summer in a deal that turned heads, the Japanese midfielder scored eight times across all competitions in his debut campaign and has one of the safest spots in Davies' side ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

RW: Tom Fellows

This is where Knighthead could make that aforementioned statement of intent, similar to the blockbuster arrival of star striker Jay Stansfield on last summer's deadline day that set the club back in excess of £10 million.

Indeed, chairman Tom Wagner has revealed that Birmingham could fork out even more money on a single signing than they did for Stansfield, and that's where Fellows could come in.

Not only do Birmingham possess the financial muscle to pull off what would be one of the most head-turning acquisitions of the window, but they also have potential heartstrings to pull on given that the Solihull native was born and raised in a family of Bluenoses.

He has, of course, made a name for himself just down the road at West Bromwich Albion, graduating from the Baggies' academy to emerge as one of the most exciting and sought-after wingers in the division.

Last season, no player in the Championship set up more goals than Fellows' 14. The nippy attacker is very much a throwback and incorporates all the archetypes of a traditional, old-school winger in the way he invariably looks to get chalk on the boots, hug the byline and aim crosses into the area.

It's his forte, and his profile represents one that Davies is currently lacking. Birmingham's chance creation from wide areas was a rare cause for concern in League One, and Fellows would instantly change the game in that regard.

Acquiring his signature will be easier said than done, and David Moyes' Everton - another side where he would be a strong and suitable fit - have been strongly linked in recent times. However, Birmingham have already exhibited a clear ability to punch above their weight in divisional terms when it comes to landing ambitious targets, and this could be their most exciting deal yet.

CAM: Jamie Donley

For all Birmingham's unrelenting firepower, quality and dominance in their title-winning campaign, Davies perhaps lacked the innovative, mercurial attacking midfield profile to break down the innumerable low defensive blocks his side faced.

Fulham loanee Luke Harris did not quite hit the heights, whereas Willum Willumsson enjoyed a reasonably-strong campaign with six goals and six assists apiece but is not that sort of hyper-creative profile Birmingham need to recruit this summer.

One man who does fit that bill, however, is Jamie Donley. The 20-year-old has freshly come off the back of an eye-catching debut season in senior football, which was spent on loan in League One from Tottenham Hotspur with Leyton Orient as he posted eight goals and 10 assists to fire Richie Wellens' side to the play-off final.

Capable of breaking defensive lines with ease, scoring from range and tying everything together in the final third - along with showcasing an eye for the spectacular - Donley was breathtaking when in full throttle at Brisbane Road. The Championship, then, appears the next natural calling for the Spurs prodigy, who has earned reported interest from West Brom.

The recent appointment of Ryan Mason will help the Baggies' cause, you would imagine, although Davies' own connections to the Lilywhites should not be discounted and Donley is a loan signing Blues should definitely have near the top of their summer shopping list.

LW: Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

A new-look Blues attacking trident behind the striker is very much on the agenda. At least two new wingers are sure to be recruited, and another wide-man who should form part of the club's recruitment drive is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The 22-year-old attacker spent a solid if unremarkable campaign on loan from Crystal Palace at Sheffield United, helping the Blades to the play-off final with seven goals and two assists in 35 appearances but perhaps falling a touch short of matching the high expectations which accompanied his arrival.

There is a school of thought, however, that the best is very much yet to come from Rak-Sakyi, who, with his electric pace, one-v-one quality and directness, would bring the profile that Birmingham need in wide areas.

Though predominantly a right-sided operator, Rak-Sakyi is left-footed and adept with both feet, and has also played on the left flank on many occasions.

It seems plausible that the Eagles will loan him out for another season or even consider cashing in, and Birmingham should be looking to get as close to the front of the queue as possible.