Identifying 3 ideal Jordan James replacements for Birmingham City

Birmingham City's relegation has increased the likelihood of some of their most valuable players leaving the club.

Jordan James can definitely count himself in this category, having been on the radar of numerous teams in the Premier League, the Championship and across the continent.

That trend only intensified in January, given the well-documented interest from Serie A side Atalanta – whose offers were rejected – as well as subsequent links with Leicester City and Crystal Palace between then and the confirmation of the Blues' relegation on May 4.

In addition, renewed interest has been expressed in the Italian team that qualified for the UEFA Champions League – this time alongside West Ham United.

Therefore, it seems extremely unlikely that the 19-year-old Welsh international will play in League One at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park. FLW has suggested three replacement players the club should target in the summer transfer window.

George Byers

The first of three players who could be an ideal replacement for James is George Byers, who will leave Sheffield Wednesday in the coming weeks when his contract at Hillsborough officially ends.

Despite featuring regularly under Xisco Munoz and Danny Rohl in the first half of the season, the former Swansea player was loaned to Blackpool, where he again produced a series of consistent performances in the third tier, achieving a Sofascore average of 6.98.

However, his performances for the Owls in the 22/23 promotion campaign prove that Byers is a top League One player in a team that has high expectations compared to some of their league counterparts – an issue Birmingham will have to address next season.

In just 24 appearances and 19 starts under Darren Moore, Byers collected six goals, three assists and other impressive stats for a box-to-box midfielder, such as 2.8 tackles per game.

If the 28-year-old could repeat his form with more appearances in the B9, a free transfer for his services would be a no-brainer.

Alex Robertson

The Blues could also consider the loan market for a temporary solution and Alex Robertson should definitely be a target in that particular category.

The Dundee-born Australian international may have unfinished business in the third tier, having missed the second half of last season, when Portsmouth won the title, due to a serious thigh injury.

This might put off potential suitors from the 21-year-old, but looking beyond appearances, the Manchester City youngster has been a key part of John Mousinho's midfield over the first few months of the season, scoring one goal and providing four assists, as well as being deployed in a variety of midfield positions – similar to James' own situation under a variety of managers in the second city.

Given the similarities between the two players and the situation Birmingham are expected to find themselves in – trying to emulate Pompey's success – it would be an ideal combination for both sides, although it could depend on interest from Championship sides over the course of the transfer window.

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Davis Keillor-Dunn

Rounding out this list is Mansfield Town’s most valuable player, Davis Keillor-Dunn.

Understandably, there has been interest from Championship clubs in the Stags playmaker throughout the season and it is likely that this could continue into the summer given his outstanding form at Field Mill.

TEAMtalk reported last year that Millwall, QPR, Hull City and Plymouth Argyle were monitoring the 27-year-old's situation – albeit at a time when all four clubs had different managers or head coaches in their respective dugouts.

The same report stated that League One sides such as Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley were also interested, so the Blues should definitely join that queue and try to sign the midfielder.

Last season, Keillor-Dunn had the second highest average rating in League Two (7.44 – according to WhoScored). He scored 22 goals, provided 10 assists and created a further 14 big chances, playing in every single game in the fourth tier.

The fact that Mansfield and Birmingham are in the same division means that Nigel Clough may not want to sell his club to a league rival. However, the Blues will have to take advantage of the fact that the former Burton Albion player's contract expires next summer and should perhaps look to sign him for a cheaper price than the East Midlands side would accept under other circumstances.

Despite being eight years older than James, it is clear that Keillor-Dunn has the ability to support Birmingham's ambitions, at least in the short term.