Birmingham City will this week have to confirm their retained list to the English Football League.
A deadline of Saturday, May 18 has been placed on EFL clubs not involved in a play-off to inform those who govern those who govern of the divisions of their contract situations. It does not need to be shared publicly with it up to the clubs if they would like to disclose that information, though it will become available in June.
In Birmingham's case and it will be the same for a few others, they will have some issues to sort out. Blues of course were relegated to League One, and they have more than 10 players out of contract. Technical director Craig Gardner has a job on his hands to work through who is worth keeping after a disappointing campaign.
Ivan Sunjic looks to be the most expensive departure if a deal can not be agreed. He arrived from Dinamo Zagreb for a reported £6.3m back in 2019 and to lose him for nothing would be disappointing.
Birmingham are potentially without a senior goalkeeper for next season too with John Ruddy and Neil Etheridge both out of contract. Ruddy would perhaps be the likelier to stay of the two given he played a lot more football but that could attract some interest from clubs in the Championship.
The League One season finished a week before the Championship did and so already a lot of the teams Birmingham will be playing next year have made their stance known on their out of contract players. Some could be of interest given they've had experience of playing at that level.
A total of 174 players from 23 clubs have been let go across the second and third divisions of English football. Here including players from the likes of Bristol City, Portsmouth and Blackpool.

17. Portsmouth
Released players: Sean Raggett, Joe Rafferty, Lee Evans, Josh Martin, Matt Macey, Ryan Schofield, Haji Mnoga, Harry Jewitt-White, Liam Vincent, Josh Dockerill, Mitch Aston, Kevin Bosaka, Sam Folarin, Jack Fox, Maxwell Hurst, Harvey Laidlaw, Koby Mottoh, Dan Murray, Destiny Ojo, Malachi Osei-Owusu, Brian Quarm, Bastian Smith. Contract discussions: Marlon Pack, Connor Ogilvie, Joe Morrell, Zak Swanson | Getty Images

18. Port Vale
Released players: Jayson Leutwiler, Gavin Massey, James Wilson. Contract discussions: Andrew Bush, Arron Davies, Jack Shorrock, Rhys Walters, Uche Ikpeazu, Deklan Wynne | Getty Images

19. Reading
Released players: Matty Carson, Nesta Guinness-Walker, Sam Hutchinson, Clinton Mola. Contract discussions: Kelvin Abrefa, Tivonge Rushesha | Getty Images

20. Shrewsbury Town
Released players: Harry Burgoyne, Ryan Bowman, Tom Bayliss, Elliott Bennett, Aiden O’Brien, Rayhaan Tulloch, Tom Flanagan, Tunmise Sobowale, Nana Owusu, Josh Bailey, Declan Hutchings. Contract discussions: Marko Marosi, Chey Dunkley, Aaron Pierre, Dan Udoh. | Getty Images


