When Kyogo is likely to leave Birmingham City as timescale revelation emerges | OneFootball

The Japanese forward has endured a tough period at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park

Birmingham City have given themselves a strong chance of reaching the Championship play-offs in recent weeks, despite suffering a first league defeat since New Year's Day against Millwall in midweek.

Beforehand, Chris Davies' somewhat new-look Blues side went seven fixtures unbeaten in the second tier, charging up the table after starting 2026 closer to the relegation zone than the top six.

The West Midlands side were one of, if not the most active Championship club in the winter transfer market, despite it being well-documented that the second transfer window of the campaign can, notoriously, be extremely difficult to conduct major business in.

That didn't stop the Birmingham boss from receiving ample backing from American investment group, Knighthead Capital Management, once more, as six new faces plus the turning of Patrick Roberts' initial loan switch from Sunderland into a permanent deal replaced a plethora of fringe players who were allowed to depart St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park in search of regular first-team minutes.

The ambition which has been shown in B9 ever since Tom Wagner's takeover of the club has only increased the spotlight on any activity from those on the outside, and that was certainly the case ahead of the current Championship season after Blues romped to the League One title at a 19-point canter.

Many cases had been put forward that Davies already had the backbone of an extremely competitive Championship-level squad at his disposal, and predictions of a play-off place didn't look unrealistic when assessing the transfer business which was conducted in the summer.

However, with some of those who were recruited during said timeframe already seeing their time in the Second City come to an end, it appears as though the writing is already on the wall for high-profile Japanese international striker, Kyogo Furuhashi.

The 31-year-old moved to Birmingham with the expectation that he would rekindle the exceptional goalscoring form he discovered during his Celtic days, having failed to settle at Stade Rennais during a six-month period at Roahzon Park.

That hasn't happened, though, and it has now been reported as to when Kyogo is most likely to depart amid intense speculation.

Fresh timescale update emerges on expected Kyogo, Birmingham City exit

In July, the acquisition of Kyogo by Blues was a statement of intent in the eyes of many, with the 23-time international agreeing a three-year deal after Blues and the French side struck a deal worth up to £10m.

Despite scoring his first goal for the club in his second appearance against Sheffield United in the EFL Cup, Furuhashi has missed several golden opportunities throughout the season to add to his tally, which he was unable to do again until two strikes in the space of 10 days against Cambridge United and Sheffield Wednesday last month.

Throughout the January window, the 31-year-old was linked with a potential return to Celtic Park and a switch to divisional rivals, Swansea City, although neither failed to materialise.

Kyogo has started in just eight of his 26 league appearances this season, and hasn't featured since a nine-minute cameo against Stoke City on January 24th, initially falling behind new signing, August Priske, in the pecking order, before missing the last three matches against Leeds United, Norwich City and Millwall through injury.

Ahead of the 2-1 win at Carrow Road, Davies failed to rule out a potential move to an MLS club for Kyogo, with the league's transfer window open until late March. However, Football Insider have now reported that the Japanese is most likely to leave St. Andrew's in the summer window.

It has been claimed that this is the course of action which all parties are set to take, unless the striker can force his way back into the side in the remaining two months of the season.

Kyogo Furuhashi's Birmingham City exit makes sense for all involved

Amid links of a return to Celtic last month, it was revealed that Kyogo is earning an eye-catching £40,000 per week salary in the Midlands, and it is fair to say that a lack of impact hasn't made such a figure justifiable whatsoever.

The forward was given the benefit of the doubt by Davies and supporters for a handful of missed chances in the season's opening weeks, but that backing soon turned to frustration, and he hasn't been able to turn his fortunes around.

It remains to be seen if he will make the squad for Monday night's important home clash with Middlesbrough as a result of a previous three-game hiatus with injury. If not, then it will only increase speculation over a pending departure.