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Birmingham City will return to the Championship in 2025/26, and Chris Davies will want to begin his preparations early.
It’s been an unbelievable campaign for Birmingham City, who made history at the weekend as their 4-0 victory over Mansfield Town saw them reach a record-high for points in League One with 105.
Chris Davies is also outperforming Pep Guardiola with a points per game tally of 2.37 at St Andrews, showcasing how dominant they’ve been during his time in charge.
Ahead of a campaign in the Championship, supporters are in for an exciting summer, as Birmingham could smash their transfer record following the £15 million paid for Jay Stansfield in 2024.
But while Tom Wagner will flex his financial muscles once more, there are several second-tier stars the Blues could snap up for nothing.
Three Championship players Birmingham City could sign on a free transfer
Tyrhys Dolan
Davies will want to bolster his squad with quality in forward areas this summer. Money could be splashed to achieve that goal, but when the ‘outstanding’ Tyrhys Dolan is set to leave Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer, Birmingham must take note.
Rovers have been in contract talks with the electric winger for the past 18 months, but Dolan is set to assess his future once the season ends, with a move away from Ewood Park looking increasingly likely.
Still only 23-years-old, Dolan has accumulated almost 200 appearances in the Championship with 23 goals and 21 assists to his name.
The former England under-20 star is able to produce magic from wide areas, and with Birmingham ambitiously eyeing another promotion, snapping up him for nothing would be excellent business.
Jimmy Dunne
Christoph Klarer has been outstanding for Birmingham this term, creating an excellent partnership alongside Rangers loanee Ben Davies.
Although the Blues could sign Davies permanently, they could also bolster their back line with a free transfer for QPR defender Jimmy Dunne.
Sheffield United want to sign Dunne, who is very likely to leave Loftus Road this summer, but Birmingham should also join the race for his signature.
The 27-year-old is a calming influence in defence with his passing range and ball-winning attributes while he’s also netted five goals from centre-back this term.
John Swift
Controversially, Birmingham City could sign attacking midfielder John Swift, who is set to leave West Brom at the end of his contract.
A move to a rival club would cause quite the stir among the fanbase but it’s a possibility the 29-year-old would surely explore.
Swift was once one of the best playmakers in the second tier with 57 goals and 50 assists in 335 Championship appearances, though a return of just three goals for the Baggies this term has raised doubts over his qualities.
While that could be a problem for any club looking at him, Davies could get the best out of the Englishman in his front-foot attacking system, with the West Brom ace already possessing an abundance of experience.