Birmingham City now know exactly who they will face in next season's Championship. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and West Ham have been relegated from the Premier League, while Lincoln City, Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers have been promoted from League One.
While Lincoln, Cardiff and Bolton will pose their own challenges, the greatest threat to Blues' Premier League dream comes from the parachute payment trio of Wolves, Burnley and West Ham. Eleven of the last 18 teams to earn promotion to the Premier League have been in receipt of parachute payments.
Blues are doing all they can to compete. Their revenue levels are among the highest outside of the parachute payment clubs, and their wage bill is similarly competitive.
Burnley have become a yo-yo club in recent years, bouncing between the Championship and the Premier League, and they will be expected to adapt quickly. Wolves have not been in the Championship since 2018, and West Ham since 2012, meaning they have accumulated substantial Premier League wealth and assets.
There is an expectation that Wolves and West Ham will sell some of those assets this summer. England forward and West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen is likely to be the most in-demand player. The Irons reportedly want £50 million for a player who consistently delivers 20 goal contributions in the Premier League. That sum would go a long way to balancing West Ham's books and ensuring they can outspend their Championship rivals.
West Ham also reportedly want £80 million for midfielder Mateus Fernandes. The 21-year-old Portugal international is wanted by Manchester United and Arsenal. They could also cash in on Senegalese left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Crysencio Summerville, each valued at over £20 million on Transfermarkt.
Wolves' assets include Joao Gomes, a big-money target for Atletico Madrid, Ladislav Krejčí, and teen sensation Mateus Mane. Gomes alone should bring in over £30 million, though Wolves hope to keep Krejčí and Mane after his breakthrough Premier League season.
Burnley have assets too, but their young squad is developing on the job, and another Championship campaign will not harm most of them.
Other Championship clubs also have valuable assets elsewhere. Queens Park Rangers' newfound financial freedom last year was linked to an Eberechi Eze sell-on clause. A similar scenario exists this summer with Middlesbrough eagerly awaiting developments on Morgan Rogers.
Rogers has been a revelation since joining Aston Villa two-and-a-half years ago, and Arsenal are believed to be keen to add him to their title-winning squad. It is claimed Villa will demand £100 million, and Boro hold a 20 percent sell-on clause from selling Rogers for £16 million in January 2024. If the clause entitles Boro to 20 percent of the profit, this year's beaten play-off finalists will gain an additional £16.8 million from a player who spent only five months at the club.
These financial windfalls will make it harder for Birmingham City to compete, as their rivals gain significant resources for squad strengthening.
