Big-money Birmingham in spotlight ahead of Walsall clash after £10m deal
Birmingham City’s super summer spend has propelled them into the spotlight ahead of Walsall’s visit to St Andrew’s for their EFL Trophy opener tonight.
The Blues broke the League One transfer record to bring Jay Stansfield back to the club from Premier League outfit Fulham for a fee of more than £10million on a seven-year deal.
Birmingham’s summer spend is understood to have exceeded £25million and Walsall have proven to be a beneficiary of their mass overhaul as 20-year-old George Hall was permitted to join on loan from St Andrew’s on deadline day.
Walsall boss Mat Sadler, who made 61 appearances in total for his boyhood club, anticipates a tough test against a Birmingham side which clearly “means business”.
He said: “It’s a club that I know very well. They’re in a changing of the guard position at the moment and are doing things that they haven’t done for many years.
“The football world is watching them and thinking they mean business. So we know it’s going to be a tough game and to be able to secure someone like George (Hall) out of them shows you what a strong squad they’ve got this season.”
Birmingham remain unbeaten in League One and have taken 10 points from a possible 12 so far.
Alfie May, signed from Charlton Athletic this summer, has scored in each of Birmingham’s opening four league games.
Defender Ethan Laird is a doubt after limping off with an ankle problem during Birmingham’s 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
Keshi Anderson, Dion Sanderson (foot), Lee Buchanan (calf) and Alfie Chang (knee ligament) are all unavailable for the Blues.
