Birmingham City's first team squad reported back to the Elite Performance and Innovation Centre today for the first day of pre-season training under new head coach Chris Davies. The Blues have yet to make any new signings this summer, but midfielder Jhon Solis has become a permanent part of the squad after the club exercised the option in his loan from Girona.
Squad Numbers Healthy Despite No New Signings
Birmingham currently boasts a healthy squad of 24 senior players, which includes returning loanees Marc Leonard, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, and Scott Wright. However, Leonard faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon. The club is still looking to reshape its group ahead of the new season, with vacancies identified in defence, midfield, and attack.
Goalkeeping Options
In goal, Ryan Allsop and Brad Mayo, who recently signed a new two-year contract, are the only senior goalkeepers at Davies' disposal following James Beadle's return to Brighton & Hove Albion. Mayo's new deal provides some stability between the posts.
Defensive Lineup
The defensive unit includes Ethan Laird, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Christoph Klarer, Phil Neumann, Jack Robinson, Kai Wagner, Alex Cochrane, and Lee Buchanan. This group offers a mix of experience and youth, though further additions may be sought.
Midfield Options
In midfield, the Blues have Jhon Solis, Tomoki Iwata, Paik Seung-ho (currently on international duty), Kanya Fujimoto, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, and the injured Marc Leonard. Gardner-Hickman's future remains uncertain, but he could fill the gap left by Tommy Doyle's departure in the opening weeks of pre-season.
Attacking Threats
Up front, Birmingham boasts Demarai Gray, Patrick Roberts, Carlos Vicente, Scott Wright, Jay Stansfield, August Priske, Marvin Ducksch, and Kyogo Furuhashi. This attacking depth should allow Davies to work on tactics effectively during training.
Pre-Season Schedule
The Blues' pre-season schedule is as follows: Monday, June 29 – pre-season training begins; Sunday, July 5 – the squad flies to Portugal for a training camp; Friday, July 10 – friendly against Huddersfield Town; Saturday, July 11 – return to England; Wednesday, July 22 – Burton Albion vs Blues; Saturday, July 25 – Crewe Alexandra vs Blues and Northampton Town vs Blues; Friday, July 31 – Blues vs Barcelona; August 7-9 – Carabao Cup first round tie; and August 14-16 – the Championship season starts.
With a full squad and a busy pre-season ahead, Davies will have ample opportunity to implement his methods and prepare the team for the challenges of the upcoming Championship campaign.
