Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has provided a clear update on the club's transfer strategy as the January window approaches its climax, confirming that securing a new centre-back remains the top priority before Monday's deadline.
Defensive Reinforcement the Final Piece
Despite a busy month of recruitment that has seen five new players arrive at St Andrew's, Davies has emphasised that bolstering the defensive line is the crucial remaining objective. The Blues have been operating with a reduced number of centre-backs throughout January, a situation exacerbated by injuries and the departure of Eiran Cashin.
"We've always been with four centre-backs since I've been at the club," Davies explained. "We've got three at the moment and with Jack being injured at the moment we've gone along with two throughout January. You do need four because of the nature of injuries and things."
January Business So Far
The club has already completed significant business this month, bringing in left-back Kai Wagner, midfielder Jhon Solis, striker August Priske, and wingers Ibrahim Osman and Carlos Vicente. These acquisitions represent a substantial reshaping of the squad, but the defensive department requires one final addition to provide adequate competition and cover.
Davies highlighted the need for either a fourth specialist centre-back or a versatile defender capable of operating in multiple positions. "You need to make sure you've got the four unless you've got a full-back/centre-back hybrid player who can do both comfortably," he stated. "If there is something we can do there in that position then we will look to do it."
Potential Departures and Midfield Coverage
While focusing on defensive reinforcements, Birmingham City are also managing potential outgoings. Icelandic midfielder Willum Willumsson has attracted interest from Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, and the club is open to a sale this month.
Should Willumsson depart, Davies indicated that a direct replacement might not be immediately sought, citing the presence of Kanya Fujimoto. The Japanese attacking midfielder has seen limited Championship action since his summer arrival but remains highly regarded by the management.
"We are covered in the sense that we've got Kanya Fujimoto who hasn't played, to be fair, through my decisions," Davies revealed. "He trains very hard, he just hasn't had the game exposure. He's a very capable player that we have if there's movement in that position."
The manager added that the situation will become clearer in the coming days as the deadline looms, with all efforts currently concentrated on strengthening the defensive options before the window slams shut at 7pm on Monday evening.
