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After a record-breaking League One title-winning campaign last time out, Birmingham City will be looking to carry that momentum into the 2025/26 Championship season under Chris Davies.

Co-owners Tom Wagner and Tom Brady have big plans at St Andrew’s, and the Blues will be looking to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2011 as soon as possible.

Birmingham City’s first 5 Championship fixtures

Date

Birmingham City vs Ipswich Town

August 8

Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City

August 16

Birmingham City vs Oxford United

August 23

Leicester City vs Birmingham City

August 30

Stoke City vs Birmingham City

September 13

To do that, new signings to help them in the second tier could be key, and the club have already made a start on their summer transfer business.

But who will start against Ipswich Town on August 8? Well, Grok, the AI tool on X, has forecasted Birmingham’s 25/26 line-up, with five new faces in the XI.

AI predicts Birmingham’s 2025/26 line-up 1 GK: James Beadle

After helping England to U21 European Championship glory this summer, goalkeeper James Beadle will be playing for Birmingham this season.

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Signed on a season-long loan from Brighton, Beadle already has second tier experience after his time with Sheffield Wednesday in 24/25.

2 RB: Ethan Laird

A key member of the League One title-winning side, Ethan Laird has been predicted to keep his place in the Birmingham side.

His ‘pace and attacking contributions make him a mainstay’ under Davies, and Grok adds that Laird’s ‘enthusiasm and Championship experience will be vital’.

3 CB: Krystian Bielik

Club captain Krystian Bielik is also backed to retain his place in the XI, being described as a ‘cornerstone of the defence’.

Bielik’s Birmingham stats

Games

125

Goals

2

Yellow cards

32

Red cards§

2

The Poland international is still under contract until 2027 and Bielik’s ‘leadership and ability to play in midfield or defence ensure his place’.

4 CB: Phil Neumann

Alongside Bielik is new arrival Phil Neumann, who signed on a free transfer from Hannover 96 earlier this summer.

The German actually penned a pre-contract agreement at the beginning of 2025 and has been backed to go straight into Davies’ XI.

5 LB: Lee Buchanan

With Laird keeping his place at right-back, Lee Buchanan has been predicted to make his return from a serious knee to start at left-back.

Buchanan ‘is expected to hold down the left side with his defensive solidity and attacking overlaps’.

6 CM: Hayden Hackney

Backed to cost £10m from Middlesbrough this summer is Hayden Hackney, with AI-driven predictions suggesting Birmingham could target the 22-year-old versatile midfielder.

Grok says Hackney’s ‘ability to play multiple midfield roles would add dynamism’ to the Blues side.

7 CM: Paik Seung-ho

Partnering Hackney is Paik Seung-ho, who was a regular in 24/25, making 50 appearances in all competitions.

The South Korea international is likely to play a key role once more, and Grok says his ‘composure and work rate make him a certain starter in the Championship’.

8 CAM: Kanya Fujimoto

The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for Japanese attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto this summer, with his contract at Gil Vicente set to expire.

Still just 26 years of age, Fujimoto’s ‘creativity and flair would suit Davies’ attacking philosophy’.

9 RW: Demarai Gray

Returning to St Andrew’s this summer is academy graduate Demarai Gray, nine years on after leaving Birmingham for Leicester City.

Gray’s ‘Premier League experience and pace would be a major coup’ for the Blues, according to Grok.

10 ST: Jay Stansfield

Birmingham’s record signing Jay Stansfield was always going to keep his place in the XI after a successful first season as a permanent Blues player.

The striker already has ‘proven Championship quality which makes him the focal point of the attack’.

Manchester United may have signed off with victory at home to Aston Villa on the Premier League’s final day, although much of the talk is still centred around the fallout of Wednesday’s Europa League final disappointment.

From Luke Shaw’s depressingly downbeat post-match interview, to Bruno Fernandes’ admission that he could be sold, there was certainly plenty to unpack, not least regarding the future of Alejandro Garnacho.

Speaking after his late introduction as a substitute in the showpiece, the Argentine outlined his frustration at having started on the bench in place of Mason Mount, with Ruben Amorim adding fuel to the fire by pointing out the “big opportunity” that Garnacho had missed in the semi-final second-leg against Athletic Club.

After fighting his way back in Amorim’s plans, following his imposed exile – alongside Marcus Rashford – from the Manchester Derby back in December, that seemingly strained relationship appears to have finally cracked.

The latest on Garnacho's future at Man Utd

And so, Wednesday may well have been the last time Garnacho will be seen in a United shirt, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein breaking the news on Saturday that the 20-year-old has been told he can leave the club this summer. The youngster was then left out of Sunday’s clash with Villa.

That bombshell story follows reports in January that had linked the former Atletico Madrid starlet with a move to rivals Chelsea, with Scott McTominay’s Napoli also said to have made a bid during the winter window.

Despite ending the campaign with 21 goals and assists to his name in all competitions – a record bettered only by Fernandes among Amorim’s squad – an exit again looks to be on the cards ahead of next season.

Recent reports have indicated that United are keen to rake in around £60m-£70m for a player whom they reportedly signed for just £420k back in the summer of 2020, with last year’s FA Cup final goalscorer potentially a casualty of the club’s need to comply with PSR regulations.

If Amorim and INEOS deem that sale to be the best course of action, then so be it. Although, as The Telegraph’s James Ducker has suggested, the club must certainly be sure that they are able to bring in an actual upgrade to replace him.

Man Utd's search to replace Garnacho

After the days of scouring the Netherlands for new additions during Erik ten Hag’s ill-fated tenure, there does look to be a change in tact under the new regime, with the Old Trafford hierarchy hoping to raid the Premier League for ready-made solutions.

Indeed, recent weeks have seen United linked with players like Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, while Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap also appears high on the agenda.

First and foremost, however, the end to the season could bring about a speedy move for Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with reports indicating that the Red Devils are now closing in on a deal for the Brazilian.

Transfer Focus

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The suggestion from journalist Ben Jacobs is that United are now set to hold talks with Wolves over the 25-year-old’s this week as they look to trigger his £62.5m release clause.

Jacobs further reveals that personal terms have been agreed for a five-year contract.

Why Cunha will be perfect for Amorim

While United may have been undone by a soft, scrappy goal in Bilbao, that narrow 1-0 defeat highlighted the club’s particular woes at the other end of the pitch, having drawn a blank for the 16th time this season.

Aside from Rasmus Hojlund’s header, which was acrobatically cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven, the Red Devils had little to shout about in the showpiece, with Amorim’s attacking unit looking distinctly underpar.

One man who did at least inject a sense of urgency in the first half was Amad Diallo, with the twinkle-toed Ivorian notably flashing an effort across the box early on, having largely looked like United’s only outlet down that right flank.

While the 22-year-old was ultimately unable to drag United over the line, he has no doubt enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign in 2024/25, having rounded things off with 20 goal involvements in total, following his header against the Villans.

As Amorim suggested back in December, Amad is the “kind of player that we need in the team”, with the same seemingly true of Cunha. Indeed, the pair are noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in the Premier League this season, as per FBref.

Goals

0.35

0.54

Assists

0.30

0.22

G + A

0.65

0.75

Shot-creating actions

4.63

4.55

Successful take-ons

47.1

44.8

Progressive passes

2.84

5.02

Progressive carries

5.22

3.87

Tackles

1.79

1.29

Interceptions

0.55

0.61

That likeness between the two forwards – both of whom have typically operated as the number ten in a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation – is notably seen in their dribbling prowess, with the two men boasting a similar record with regard to successful take-ons per 90.

Equally, as indicated above, both Cunha and Amad boast an impressive average with regard to providing a goal and assist per 90, while also enjoying a similar return with regard to shot-creating actions per 90. In essence, there is a high chance of an opportunity being created in the final third when they get on the ball.

With the left-footed Amad posing a real threat down the right flank, the right-footed Wolves star could then offer the same spark on the opposite side, having showcased his credentials with 42 goals and assists in just 82 Premier League games for the Old Gold.

As Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley suggested, the £90k-per-week maverick would be “an amazing signing for a club in United’s position”, with such a deal potentially the catalyst for brighter things in Manchester next season.

Of course, losing a talent like Garnacho would be a blow, although if the Amad-like incoming can replicate what he has shown at Molineux, then such a sale might well swiftly be forgotten.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers know that a couple of their prized assets could very well be sold this summer.

Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause certainly looks like it could be triggered by Manchester United. Elsewhere, Rayan Ait-Nouri has attracted interest from some of Europe’s heavyweights, including Liverpool.

Much will depend on how much money Vitor Pereira will have to spend when the window opens, but there are several players who have already been eyed up.

Wolves plotting move for Premier League youngster

With Wolves having secured their Premier League status weeks ago, one eye has been turned towards the transfer market.

Midfielder Morten Frendrup was linked with a move recently, while defender Dennis Cirkin has also emerged on the club’s radar.

Player

Club signed from

Sam Johnstone

Crystal Palace

Tommy Doyle

Man City

Craig Dawson

West Ham United

Ki-Jana Hoever

Liverpool

Matija Sarkic

Aston Villa

The pair would make solid signings, but it is the Old Gold’s interest in a current Premier League midfielder which could eclipse both deals.

Indeed, according to Caught Offside, the club are plotting a move for Liverpool youngster Harvey Elliott, although he could cost around £50m.

Competition comes from Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Bournemouth, indicating how tough a job Pereira has in convincing the Englishman to move to the Wolves.

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How Harvey Elliott could replace Pedro Neto at Wolves

Since selling Pedro Neto last summer, the Molineux side have failed to adequately replace his influence on the right flank.

Neto enjoyed a superb five-year spell with Wolves. Across 135 matches, he scored 14 goals and recorded 27 assists. These figures would have been much more impressive if he hadn’t missed 112 games through a succession of injuries.

This term, Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Forbs and Marshall Munetsi have tried to fill the gap left by Neto, either playing out wide on the right or as a number ten.

But, could Elliott – a left-footed player who thrives on the right – be the ideal candidate to fill the void left by the Portuguese winger?

The Liverpool ace, who can operate either out wide or as an attacking midfielder, has the skillset to finally allow the club to replace one of their former talismans.

Lauded as a “special talent” by former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor, Elliott has demonstrated his attacking qualities over the previous 12 months.

When compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the 22-year-old ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, assists, shot-creating actions and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

Additionally, he even ranks in the top 4% for progressive carries, passes and total shots, proving that he has the required abilities to shine for Wolves on the right flank where Neto was such a carry-heavy player himself.

As a left-footed player, Elliott would likely cut in on his stronger foot when he has the ball in the final third.

If given consistent gametime, there is no reason why the Englishman cannot improve his goal-involvement tally at Molineux.

This season may not have been great, but under a manager who will give him plenty of opportunities in the starting XI, the youngster can sparkle at Wolves.

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Manchester United are now leading the race to sign a £30m “monster”, who scored at Old Trafford earlier this month, according to a report.

Man Utd eyeing new attacking midfielder

One of Man United’s main aims this summer is to strengthen their attacking options, and it appears as though they are now closing in on a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, with work ongoing to finalise a contract agreement.

Cunha is expected to be brought in to play in the number 10 role, but the Brazilian is not United’s only target in that area of the pitch, having made an approach for River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono, who has a €45m (£38m) release clause in his contract.

Earlier this month, it was revealed the Red Devils are also in the race for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, who could be allowed to leave Lyon on the cheap this summer, given the difficult financial situation the French club find themselves in.

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There has now been a new update on Man United’s pursuit of Cherki, with a report revealing they are now leading the race for the Lyon star, alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are also frontrunners for his signature.

Bayern Munich and a number of other top European clubs are in the race for the attacking midfielder, and there is a feeling he could be available for a relatively low fee, with Lyon setting an asking price of around €30m -€35m (£25m – £30m).

The 21-year-old is ready to move on this summer, and he has set his sights on a move to the Premier League, with a view to continuing his development, having already made significant strides this season.

"Monster" Cherki enjoying incredible campaign

The Lyon forward appears to have developed considerably in the 2024-25 campaign, having amassed a remarkable 12 goals and 19 assists in 41 matches in all competitions, with one of those goals coming at Old Trafford in his side’s 5-4 Europa League loss earlier this month.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also lavished the Frenchman with praise, describing him as a “creative monster capable of magical moments”, and he has performed incredibly well across a number of key metrics for attacking midfielders over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.59 (99th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

6.68 (98th percentile)

Progressive passes

8.97 (99th percentile)

Successful take-ons

2.72 (92nd percentile)

There is every sign that Cherki could be a fantastic signing for Man United this summer, although signing a new striker should be a priority, given that a deal for Cunha, who is set to play in attacking midfield, is now edging closer.

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have failed to deliver this season, netting seven Premier League goals between them, and it appears as though Man United are now willing to cash-in on the Dane this summer.

He also believes his presence will open the door for the other Indian players to come to the SA20

Firdose Moonda10-Jan-2025Nineteen years ago, a young Dinesh Karthik played his first T20 match – an international – against South Africa at the Wanderers. Chasing 127, he came in to bat with India on 71 for 3 in the 12th over. These days, we’d call an easy win for the batting side. Then, it was nervy. It took until the penultimate ball for Karthik to hit the winning runs in a player-of-the-match performance. A year later, Karthik was part of the Indian squad that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa, a triumph that he believes paved the way for how the world game looks today.”Some of my best memories have come from South Africa, like winning the T20 World Cup and being part of something so special and that also started a very big trend in Indian cricket. It’s called the IPL today,” he said at the Paarl Royals pre-tournament press conference. “Things like that originated because of what happened in South Africa. So, I have very fond memories and I like the place in general.”He especially likes the place he finds himself in now: the picturesque Cape Winelands, where Paarl Royals have their base. “I’ve gone as far as to convince my family to come over as well. They weren’t planning to come, but they’re going to come because I said you don’t get more beautiful places than this.”Related

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But Karthik is on more than just a nostalgia and nature-gazing trip. He is the first Indian player to feature in the SA20 and was sought after as both a cricketer and an ambassador: someone who could talk the tournament up in the subcontinent. And he is doing that already.Asked if he thinks his presence will open the door for the other Indian players to come to the SA20, it was a firm yes. “Anybody who’s done with playing IPL will always look at SA20 because it’s the strongest comp. You get the best of players.”For this edition, that includes him. Karthik is here as a senior player for Paarl Royals, who finished third on the points table twice but are yet to make the final and have three of the youngest players in the tournament in their squad. Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Kwena Maphaka are just 18 years old and Dewan Marais is 19 and Karthik sees his role as key to their development.Dinesh Karthik is set to become the first Indian to play in the SA20•BCCI”One of the reasons why I’ve been picked here is not only just to come and showcase my skills as a batter or a keeper, but also help in the growth of young South African players to become the best version of themselves. So whenever I’ve had the opportunity, I’ve had chats with them,” he said. “I always feel knowledge learned is one side of it, but knowledge shared is a lot more fruitful. So in my experience, whenever a youngster comes and speaks to me about the sport, I’m happy to share my experiences. That is the least I could do.”Karthik will have a particular role to play with Pretorius, who is also a wicketkeeper-batter. While Paarl Royals will start with Karthik as keeper, “there could be opportunities that he (Pretorius) could be keeping and I could be fielding,” Karthik said. “In the practice matches, we shared the load where we kept 10 overs each in one game. In the other game, I ended up keeping the whole time.”That means Karthik will keep to Maphaka, who he identified as “one of those bona fide superstars”. Maphaka also accompanied him to the pre-tournament press conference.”I watched him bowl in the U19 World Cup and it almost felt like when you play against South Africa, you need to get past that first spell. That’s a feeling not many bowlers can give,” Karthik said. “He’s handled pressure, he’s come with expectations, and it’s great to see him grow into not only a good domestic cricketer, but today he’s playing for South Africa in all three formats. If I was him, SA20 would be a great opportunity to show my skills at the T20 level but also be the person who can win matches for the team. He’s a special player. He’s got the skill sets to be the superstar that I expect him to be. In Kwena, South Africa has found a gem, and they need to protect him.Dinesh Karthik said South Africa need to “protect” Kwena Maphaka•AFP/Getty Images”He needs to learn how to take care of his body. The one thing that will happen as he grows is he could drop pace, and he doesn’t want to do that,” Karthik said. “So how he takes care of his body and mentally, every time he gets on the park, it should be about winning the game for that team.”Maphaka sat bashful next to Karthik as the praise poured out and confirmed he would “watch my bowling loads and make sure that I’m stretching and keeping my body in tip-top shape,” after his “crazy” last 12 months. From the under-19 World Cup last January, to an IPL gig to a T20 debut in the Caribbean and his ODI and Test bow in the space of two weeks, Maphaka has barely had time to catch his breath.”It’s crazy to see how quickly things have moved and how quickly my life has changed,” he said. “But I’m just trying to keep my feet on the ground and continue being the player that I am, keep learning and keep striving for success, really.”That’s where the likes of Karthik will come in: where younger players are in danger of being swept off their feet by the speed of events, to help them hit pause and remember they are part of something bigger.”This team is a good blend of experience and some seriously prodigious talent. We speak about Kwena and Lhuan-dre but on the other hand, we have players like David Miller, Joe Root, who’ve been stalwarts for their countries over a period of time,” Karthik said. “My role is to make sure that I’m there for the tough moments, and when the game is on the line, that I’m doing something very special to help the team. I really wish that this experience and youthful exuberance meet somewhere in the middle and something special is created.”Paarl Royals will kick off their campaign against two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape on Saturday.

It was also the first-ever instance of three bowlers taking four or more wickets in an IPL match

Sampath Bandarupalli15-May-20231 – Shubman Gill and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the first opposing pair to score a century and claim a five-wicket haul in the same innings in the IPL. It has happened only twice before in all men’s T20s – Karun Nair (111) for Karnataka and V Athisayaraj Davidson (5 for 30) for Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2017-18 and Saber Zakhil (100*) for Belgium and Aqib Iqbal (5 for 5) for Austria in a T20I in 2021.22 – Number of balls Gill needed to complete his fifty, during which he hit nine fours and no sixes. It is the fastest fifty by a batter in the IPL without hitting a six. The previous fastest was 23 balls by Sachin Tendulkar against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2010Related

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6.38 – Percentage of Titans’ total scored in sixes. They hit just two of them in their total of 188. It is the lowest percentage of runs scored via sixes in a 180-plus total in the IPL. The previous lowest was 9.14% by Rajasthan Royals, who hit only three sixes in their total of 197 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008.17 – Wickets taken by the pace bowlers in this match, the most for them in an IPL game. Spinners failed to pick even one wicket in the 13 overs they bowled in this match. The previous most wickets taken by pacers in an IPL match was 15, on four instances.