Birmingham City's intriguing summer transfer window predicted with Spurs and Bournemouth deals

Birmingham City’s bid to secure an immediate return to the Championship has brought a solid start to the season.

A late penalty from debutant Alfie May secured a 1-1 home draw against Reading on the opening day and that was followed by a dramatic three points at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday as May, Luke Harris and Willum Thor Willumsen all found the net in a 3-2 victory at Adams Park. Sandwiched between those two league games came a hard-earned 1-0 win in a Carabao Cup first round tie at third tier rivals Charlton Athletic as Brandon Khela grabbed the only goal at The Valley.

After what has already been a hectic summer transfer window, the Blues will hope to complete more business before the window slams shut on the final Friday of August. But what business could be completed? We fired up Football Manager 2024, updated the Blues squad to its present form and took a look at how the world’s most popular managerial simulation believes the final days of the window could play out.

Goalkeepers

There were no further changes to the Blues goalkeeping ranks as summer signings Ryan Allsop and Bailey Peacock-Farrell look set to battle it out to be Davies’ first-choice stopper.

Davies’ goalkeeping options: Peacock-Farrell, Allsop, Mayo

Defenders

There was a new arrival at the back here as the Blues handed over £525k to land Ipswich Town defender George Edmundson. It was a case of one-in, one-out at the back as well as left-back Emmanuel Longelo opted to join Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen in a deal that swelled the Blues coffers with around £1m.

Davies’ defensive options: Sanderson, Klarer, Bielik, Fogarty, Buchanan, Cochrane, Laird, Sampstead, Edmundson

Midfielders

There were no new additions to the Blues midfield ranks but there was a departure as Japan international Koji Miyoshi made a quickfire return to the Championship after completing a £4m switch to Sheffield Wednesday. Birmingham did make offers to free agent Jeff Hendrick but the former Newcastle United star snubbed their interest and decided to join Scottish giants Rangers instead.

Davies’ midfield options: Chang, Bacuna, Paik, Leonard, Khela, Home, Willumsson

Forwards

The biggest deal involving the Blues during the summer transfer window came at the top end of the pitch and sadly it was a departure as winger George Hall was the subject of intense interest from the Premier League. After several clubs made offers, it was Bournemouth that won the race for his services after they made a successful £10m bid for the Blues star. Once again, there was just a single incoming and it came with a loan deal for Tottenham Hotspur youngster Jude Soonsup-Bell

Davies’ forward options: Roberts, Harris, Dembele, Hansson, Yokoyama, Anderson, Donovan, May, Jutkiewicz, Soonsup-Bell

Ins

Klarer (£3m from Darmstadt), Willumsson (£2.75m from Go Ahead Eagles), Hansson (£1.25m from Heracles), Cochrane (£800k from Hearts), Yokoyama (£750k from Sagan Tosu), Allsop (£700k from Hull City), May (£675k from Charlton Athletic), Leonard (£400k from Brighton and Hove Albion), Peacock Farrell (£400k from Burnley), Sampsted (loan from FC Twente), Harris (loan from Fulham), Soonsup-Bell (loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Edmundson (£525k from Ipswich Town)

Outs

James (£4m to Rennes), Sunjic (free to Pafos), Etheridge (free to Buriram United), Gardner (free to Cambridge United), Roberts (free to Barnsley), Ruddy (free to Newcastle United), Jeacock (free to Lincoln City), Pritchard (undisclosed to Sivasspor), Hogan (released), Hall (£10m to Bournemouth), Miyoshi (£4m to Sheffield Wednesday), Longelo (£1m to Aberdeen)