Birmingham City's impressive Championship form faces a significant January threat as Wolverhampton Wanderers consider recalling midfielder Tommy Doyle from his season-long loan.
The potential early return comes following managerial changes at the Premier League club, with new boss Rob Edwards reportedly viewing Doyle as part of his survival plans.
Edwards' arrival prompts Wolves reassessment
Rob Edwards, who began the season at Middlesbrough, has taken charge at Molineux following Vitor Pereira's departure. He inherits a team with an 11-game winless start to the Premier League campaign, sitting bottom of the table.
The Telford-born manager is now tasked with engineering a great escape and is expected to assess his entire squad during the winter transfer window. Unlike his predecessor, Edwards apparently sees value in Doyle, despite the club making him available for loan last summer.
This represents a dramatic shift in Doyle's status at Wolves, where players like Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo were sold while the youngster was deemed surplus to requirements.
Doyle's growing influence at St Andrew's
Under manager Chris Davies, Doyle initially took time to settle but has recently become instrumental in Birmingham's upturn in fortunes. The Blues have won four of their last six league matches, with the midfielder's influence growing significantly.
Doyle brings valuable promotion experience to the squad, having achieved Championship success with Sheffield United in the 2022/23 season. His ability to dictate possession and control games aligns perfectly with Davies' preferred style of football.
His potential departure would create a substantial void in Birmingham's midfield options, with the club already stretching resources by using Tomoki Iwata as a makeshift right-back due to injury problems.
West Ham's Earthy emerges as potential solution
Should Doyle return to Molineux, Birmingham could turn their attention to West Ham United's George Earthy as a potential replacement.
The 21-year-old finds himself in a difficult situation at the London Stadium, having struggled for first-team opportunities since returning from his loan spell at Bristol City. Injury problems have limited his appearances this season to EFL Trophy matches.
West Ham's own relegation battle makes experimentation unlikely, with numerous established players competing for midfield positions including Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek, Guido Rodríguez and in-form Freddie Potts.
Earthy proved his Championship credentials during the previous campaign at Bristol City, where he made 39 appearances, scored three goals and provided one assist. His performances earned him the club's Young Player of the Season award and helped the Robins secure a top-six finish.
Former Bristol City manager Liam Manning was particularly impressed, stating via Bristol Live: "I think George has been outstanding for us. He'll be one of those where I think he'll reflect at the end of the season with it being a real big positive because he's got a really exciting future ahead of him."
For Birmingham, securing adequate midfield depth appears crucial to maintaining their promotion push. Beyond Doyle, options currently include Paik Seung-Ho and Marc Leonard, but additional quality would be needed to sustain a challenge for the top six positions.
The January window now looms large for Chris Davies' side, who face the prospect of rebuilding their midfield should Wolves activate the recall clause in Doyle's loan agreement.
