4 players Birmingham City should be scouting ahead of the January transfer window | OneFootball

It's fair to say that Birmingham City are struggling under the new management of Wayne Rooney, who has picked up just one point out of a possible 15 from his first five matches in charge.

The decision to replace John Eustace - who had the club sitting in sixth in the Championship at the time of his departure in October - with Rooney wasn't a universally popular decision, and frustration is already growing among the Blues fanbase.

Despite a number of new players arriving at St. Andrew's under Eustace in the summer, it is clear that City need a fresh injection of talent in January, especially with the injuries they've had.

Let's look at FOUR players that Rooney's recruitment team need to be scouting to potentially add to the Birmingham squad in January.

1 Sam Tickle - Wigan Athletic

With John Ruddy turning 37 years of age last month, the veteran goalkeeper will not have that long left at Championship level - and there have been a few signs recently that show he may need to be replaced sooner rather than later.

And with Jack Butland no longer looking like a realistic target, City need to look to League One and check out Tickle, who has taken on the role of first-choice stopper for Wigan Athletic since the start of the 2023-24 season.

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A Latics academy graduate, Tickle has played in all 17 League One matches so far this season, keeping four clean sheets and ranks in the top five of the division for shots saved per match for goalkeepers who have played at least five matches.

Everton have recently been credited with watching the 21-year-old, but Birmingham's need for an up-and-coming goalkeeper is more pressing than the Toffees and they should be considering the Wigan man.

2 Luizao - West Ham United

To add a bit more balance to Birmingham's leaky defence, Rooney could do with adding a left-footed centre-back to his options, and whilst Eiran Cashin of Derby County is the most obvious solution, he will be expensive and wanted by Premier League clubs no doubt.

City should therefore keep an eye out on West Ham centre-back Luizao, who is yet to make his senior debut for the Hammers but has been playing regularly for their in-form under-21's.

Signed from Sao Paulo in January, having played 23 times at senior level for them, the 21-year-old could do with game-time at a competitive senior level, and Birmingham could be a decent fit, where he would slot in next to Dion Sanderson or Emanuel Aiwu at the back.

3 Marcus McGuane - Oxford United

Ivan Sunjic's contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 season at Birmingham, and with the Croatian midfielder being an expensive player to keep on the books, there may be a mutual parting of ways come the summer.

Rooney has Krystian Bielik and Jordan James at his disposal, but if Sunjic is to be leaving the club at some point, Birmingham will need a ball-playing midfielder who has a bit of pace and strength.

That man could be McGuane, who has a great pedigree having been on the books of Arsenal and Barcelona, but is now playing regularly in League One with Oxford United.

Whilst Cameron Brannagan often gets the plaudits in the United engine room, McGuane's work goes somewhat under the radar, but the 24-year-old is talented at what he does and could be available for a realistic price.

With Scott Hogan and Lukas Jutkiewicz misfiring this season and Jay Stansfield only a loanee, the striker position could be the most important area to sort out in January.

Some of the top scorers in European leagues that aren't the major ones are still likely to be too expensive for Birmingham, but they could take a punt on a teenager in Lukovic who is proving to be mature beyond his years in the Serbian top flight.

Lukovic, who turns 18 on November 18, has bagged seven goals in 14 appearances for IMT Belgrad in the Super liga Srbije, and despite his young age, the Serbia under-21 international captains his club side.

There's likely to be scouts already watching him, but Lukovic could potentially be a diamond and is likely not going to be as expensive as others given the nation he is from, and learning from an iconic striker like Rooney could see him become top class.