Birmingham City must rival Rangers for Man United transfer this summer | OneFootball

Birmingham City should target Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek this summer to replace James Beadle

Birmingham City's Premier League ambition has been on display for everyone to see over the past couple of years, and as the Blues prepare for another year in the Championship, one key area must be addressed by Chris Davies this summer.

It's been a hectic past few years in England's Second City, with Birmingham undergoing a major transformation.

From the heartbreak of relegation to League One in 2024, to elation in 2025 by romping to the third-tier title on a record-breaking point haul, and a solid year upon their return to the Championship, things have rarely been quiet in Birmingham.

Ever since Knighthead Capital Management assumed control of the club, Birmingham have splashed over £50 million in the transfer market on the likes of Jay Stansfield, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Carlos Vicente, as the Blues aim to accelerate their route into the Premier League.

Ahead of this summer, those ambitions won't have changed, and in fact may have only strengthened, as Chris Davies is likely to be backed once more over the coming weeks and months.

Across the board, Birmingham's squad is looking strong, but there remains one glaring area that Davies must fix heading into next season if the Blues are to seriously sustain a meaningful promotion push.

Birmingham City should target Manchester United's Radek Vitek this summer

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Battling it out for a place in goal last season for Birmingham were both Ryan Allsop and James Beadle, with the latter getting the nod more often than not by the former Leicester City assistant boss.

Beadle, 21, joined on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion after previous loan spells with the likes of Crewe Alexandra, Oxford United, and Sheffield Wednesday, having also represented England at Under-21 level frequently previously.

The towering shot-stopper arrived with a huge degree of excitement, having kept Pierce Charles out of the side during his time at Wednesday, and though he would have to wait for his chance, with Allsop initially preferred, he would go on to make 35 league appearances for Birmingham last season.

Now, Beadle heads back to Brighton to try and convince German boss Fabian Hurzeler to integrate him into his plans on the South Coast, as Birmingham must now look elsewhere for an alternative.

A solid pair of hands between the sticks can be the difference in numerous games across the season, ultimately preventing relegation, or proving to be the catalyst for promotion, as the Blues mustn't mess around when it comes to finding their new number one.

Radek Vitek spent last season on loan at Bristol City from Manchester United, in what was his first year in the second tier, and excelled during his stay at Ashton Gate, and upon his return to the Red Devils this summer, ought to be a primary target for Davies' side.

Vitek, 22, made 41 league appearances for the Robins across the campaign, and prevented 5.36 more goals than expected, putting him behind only Coventry City's Carl Rushworth, Ipswich Town's Christian Walton, and Derby County's Jacob Widell Zetterstrom in this metric in the Championship over the year.

Now, as the Czechian shot-stopper prepares to return to United, Senne Lammens' emergence as Michael Carrick's preferred number one almost certainly means that Vitek will not receive the game time he will be looking for at Old Trafford, and his future may be best served elsewhere.

Scottish side Rangers have reportedly considered a move for Vitek, but the Glasgow giants are now edging closer to completing a deal for Hull City's Ivor Pandur, with former England shot-stopper Jack Butland heading the other way.

United are reportedly demanding up to £10 million to part ways with the talented 22-year-old, and whilst that isn't an insignificant amount of money by any stretch of the imagination, it's not a fee Birmingham haven't paid before across the past couple of years, giving every reason to believe they could do so again.

Vitek has the potential to become a regular fixture at the very highest level, and £10 million could prove to be a real coup if he can deliver on his undoubted potential.

The Czech would help to take Birmingham's defence to the next level, and could hold down that spot between the sticks at St Andrews for years to come, as Davies must aim to ensure a safe pair of hands are afforded to him next season in the form of Vitek.

Chris Davies must target a safe pair of hands at Birmingham City

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Heading into next season, Davies will be under increased pressure from the get-go to get things right at Birmingham.

The 41-year-old has been backed heavily in the transfer market over the past couple of years, and seeing Wrexham finish above them in the table, a team who are the most easily comparable to Birmingham in terms of trajectory and financial backing, will be hard to swallow for the owners.

Davies simply must ensure a top six finish next season; otherwise, Blues' ambitious ownership won't think twice about handing him his P45.

Vitek would massively boost Davies' chances of breaking into the play-off picture with Birmingham, and should be a player heavily considered over the summer.