The bargain free agent signings Birmingham City could still make - including ex-Sunderland and Wolves gems
Birmingham City could still delve into the market to sign a series of out-of-contract stars
Birmingham City suffered their first defeat of the new season when they were beaten 2-0 away at former Premier League side Leicester City.
It saw the Blues drop down to 10th in the table at the end of August, but on the whole it’s fair to say that Chris Davies side with a flurry of new signings, have proven that they belong at this level and have the calibre needed to compete for promotion.
Blues have a much stranger squad than the one that started this year, but there’s still room to add to it even after the closure of the window. With that in mind, Birmingham World assesses the big names still without a club and whether the West Midlands side should target any of them.
Free agents from the Championship Birmingham City could target
Ex-Sunderland forward Duncan Watmore is still searching for a new club after leaving Millwall last season. The 31-year-old has played in the second tier since 2019 and has scored 33 goals and assisted 17 in 174 matches at this level.
Stuart Armstrong, who has won promotion in the past is also available. The ex-Celtic playmaker, who has played Champions League football, is a 51-time Scottish international, who could still look to get back into the international picture ahead of the World Cup. The all-action midfielder last played for Sheffield Wednesday after signing a short-term deal at the end of last season. He played 12 times but opted against staying with the Owls.
Former Leeds striker Kemar Roofe is also searching for a new club. He formed part of Rangers’ invincible title-winning squad under Steven Gerrard and even helped the Light Blues make it to a Europa League final the following year. He’s had a tough time with injuries but returned to the pitch to play three times during a short-term stay at Derby last season. Other names on the market include ex-Newcastle United and Derby County midfielders Jeff Hendrick and former QPR man Jack Colback.
Free agents from the Premier League that are still available
Former Newcastle United vice captain Jonjo Shelvey was released from Burnley after a short-term stint with the Clarets at the end of last season. He inspired Newcastle to promotion in 2017 and racked up more than a century of appearances for the Magpies after their return to the top-flight. He’s also had prior experience at Liverpool, Swansea and Nottingham Forest and is renowned for his exceptional vision and long-range passing ability.
Joining him on the list of available ex-England internationals is Nathan Redmond. The winger has been linked with a move back to former club Birmingham City and has won promotion in the past with Norwich City.
Veteran centre-back Craig Dawson, formerly of West Brom and Wolves, could offer tons of experience to a Championship back line at 35 while Fraser Forster, who featured in the Europa League as backup goalkeeper for Spurs is on the market. A more expensive target in terms of wages could also be Michail Antonio. He’s West Ham’s highest scoring footballer of the Premier League era but must get back to full fitness after a serious car crash in December last year.