Birmingham City now have one of the most talked-about squads in the Championship, thanks to Tom Wagner’s millions of pounds invested in the club during the summer transfer window.
Having said that, Blues’ first half of the season has been marked by inconsistency and, at times, frustration, as they continue to flourish at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park while playing like an entirely different team away from the West Midlands.
As a result, the spotlight remains firmly focused on developments in B9, with Knighthead Capital Management hoping that their well-publicized future plans for the club, which include the 62,000-seater Powerhouse stadium as part of the upcoming Sports Quarter complex, are matched by what happens on the pitch under Chris Davies.
This season also marks the 40-year-old’s first season in management at the level, after Birmingham gave him his first full-time job in June 2024, with his new charges winning the League One title and amassing an all-time EFL record 111 points.
Granted, there was an instant assumption that anything less than a title-winning season by considerable distance would have been considered failure given the club’s spending capacity.
Knighthead’s funding have helped bring a slew of high-profile and high-potential players to St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park during the last 18 months, while some transactions have fared far better than others.
Speaking to Football League World, our Birmingham City fan pundit, Jason Moore, believes that two of those are the Blues’ current star players and are worth no less than £20 million.
Birmingham City lodged a valuation claim on Christoph Klarer and Jay Stansfield amid a comparison to Che Adams.
Moore’s initial choice was Austrian centre-back Christoph Klarer, who has been nothing short of a revelation since signing from SV Darmstadt in July 2024 for a reputed €3 million.
The former Southampton academy graduate quickly took over one of Davies’ defensive positions, displaying his toughness against opposing defences while still delivering calm performances.
Last season, the Blues conceded only 31 goals in 46 games, thanks in large part to Klarer’s ability alongside Krystian Bielik and Ben Davies, before continuing to perform in this manner alongside Phil Neumann, who signed on a pre-contract deal from fellow Bundesliga.2 side Hannover 96 in July.
Klarer was also chosen club captain after Bielik left for West Bromwich Albion in August, and he was rewarded for his services with a long-term contract until the summer of 2029 shortly after.
Meanwhile, it’s no surprise that his second choice was Jay Stansfield, the Blues’ poster boy, who continues to attract a lot of attention.
The 22-year-old scored 12 goals as the Blues were relegated in 2023/24, before the club stunned the football world by paying Fulham a club-record eight-figure fee in August 2024 to sign him on a seven-year contract.
The Bluenoses continue to defend the England Under-21 international’s price tag despite outside suspicion, since he has frequently been tipped to reach the top level.
“I had this chat the other day. Moore told FLW that he believes Jay Stansfield or Christoph Klarer are the Blues’ best players.
“For me, they are both, currently, £20m players,” according to him.
“Christoph Klarer is an absolute force, and he embodies everything a modern-day centre-back should be.” As for Jay Stansfield, I believe the world is at his feet.
“People can identify him as X, Y, or Z. Whether they liked it or not, he was a striker for England’s Under-21 team.
“Granted, he might have struggled a little bit, but he’s scoring goals in the Championship,” Moore told reporters.
“We sold Che Adams for £15-£16 million, and he’s not near as brilliant as Jay Stansfield.
“For me, Christoph Klarer, £20 million.” Jay Stansfield, £20 million. Anything less, and I would not accept it.”
Birmingham City are in no rush to transfer Jay Stansfield amid the Che Adams similarities.
Stansfield and Adams are both exceptional finishers at the Championship level. However, Blues fans will be relieved to learn that the club has no plans to sell their current star player for a profit, like they did with Adams in 2019.
After joining from Sheffield United for £2 million three years ago, the Scotland international formed a strong partnership with Clayton Donaldson and Lukas Jutkiewicz before moving to Southampton for the same fee after an overall record of 38 goals and 13 assists in 123 games.
Klarer’s price is also likely to rise further, as the newly signed contract extension will only add to the 25-year-old’s situation.
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