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Birmingham City have an exciting season ahead of them in the 2025/26 Championship, and here, EFL Analysis looks into the club’s most expensive sales to date.
Birmingham City enjoyed a record-breaking campaign in League One last term, ending the campaign on an outstanding points tally of 111.
Buoyed by their promotion, owner Tom Wagner wants promotion to the Premier League this season, and the club have cemented themselves as contenders for promotion in early predictions for the 2025/26 Championship.
So far in the summer transfer window, the Blues have been linked with several high-profile targets, and Birmingham are now eyeing Joe Gelhardt from Leeds United alongside Wrexham.
Ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign, we have taken a look into Birmingham’s five most expensive sales in club history, with all fees derived from Transfermarkt.
Birmingham City’s five most expensive sales ever in club history
5. Roger Johnson – Wolves – £6.8m
Roger Johnson was part of the Cardiff City team that reached the infamous 2008 FA Cup final before he moved to Birmingham in 2009 for a reported £5m.
After 88 games for Birmingham and a League Cup victory, defender Johnson was sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2011/12 campaign, and was immediately made the Wolves captain by Mick McCarthy.
Centre-back Johnson suffered two relegations at Wolves before having spells in the EFL and Indian Super League side Pune City.
4. Jermaine Pennant – Liverpool – £7.7m
After impressing during his initial loan stint from Arsenal, Jermaine Pennant signed permanently with Birmingham at St Andrews in 2005 for a fee of £3m.
Englishman Pennant would make 50 appearances for the Blues before moving to Liverpool in 2006 for £7.7m, where he made his Champions League debut.
After departing Anfield, Pennant had spells at Real Zaragoza, Stoke City and retired following his stint with Isthmian Premier Division outfit Billericay Town.
3. Matt Upson – West Ham – £10.7m
Stalwart centre-back Matthew Upson is Birmingham’s third most expensive sale ever following his £10.7m signing by West Ham United in the winter window of 2007.
Upson would captain the Hammers, but left the club after their relegation from the Premier League in 2011, joining Stoke.
After spells with Brighton and Leicester, Upson retired from his playing career in 2016 at MK Dons, with a total of 289 Premier League appearances to his name.
2. Che Adams – Southampton – £14.2m
Scottish striker Che Adams is currently Birmingham’s second most expensive sale ever, after then-Premier League Southampton swooped to sign the striker in the summer window of 2019.
Adams would score 49 goals in his five-year stay with the Saints, before joining Torino last summer on a free transfer, where he found the net 10 times in 38 games last season.
Championship clubs have circled for Adams of late, and there is talk of a return to Birmingham for the striker ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
1. Jude Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund – £25.6m
Who else could be number one on Birmingham’s most expensive sales list but Jude Bellingham?
Wayne Rooney knew Bellingham would “go far” after his performance against Derby County in 2020, and he has certainly fulfilled the prediction made by the Manchester United legend.
The combative midfielder was sold to German giants Borussia Dortmund in 2020 after his remarkable rise from Birmingham academy to EFL stardom.
Bellingham completed his move to the Signal Iduna Park at just 17, after becoming Birmingham’s youngest ever first-team player during his breakthrough for his boyhood club.
After three seasons at Dortmund, Bellingham was bought by Real Madrid in the summer of 2023, and won the Champions League during his first season with the Spanish super club.