Birmingham City face losing 'exciting' winger | OneFootball

Aurelien Guernier is a highly-rated prospect within Blues' academy setup

Birmingham City will be hoping their upcoming transfer activity in the summer window leads to a more sustained promotion push next season after barely being amongst the contenders in 2025/26.

12 months ago, there was a strong sense of hype, anticipation and expectancy surrounding Blues as a result of their exploits in League One in what was Chris Davies' first season as a full-time manager and at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Rather naturally, a side which accrued the EFL's all-time record points total of 111, whilst losing just three league games, were expected to, at the bare minimum, hold their own upon returning to the Championship.

Those expectations only increased, and some would argue, unnaturally, as a result of a 14-player recruitment drive last summer, with many of those incomings proving to be high-profile names, although they would certainly yield mixed results in terms of their contributions on the pitch.

Despite attempting to rectify an inconsistent first half of the season with another squad reshuffle in January, Blues were unable to keep pace with the play-off pack, and their chances of finishing in the top six had effectively died a death ahead of the season's final international break.

However, with an expanded play-off format to come in 2026/27, as well as it being forecast that they are one of the clubs set to benefit the most from the EFL's new Squad Cost Rules, there will be pressure on Davies and ownership group, Knighthead Capital, to deliver this time around.

Yet, with the transfer window just days away from opening, there has been a greater deal of talk regarding outgoings instead of incomings, with another fresh update now emerging.

Birmingham City could lose the services of highly-rated prospect Aurelien Guernier

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Indeed, it has been claimed by Rudy Galetti, via X, that Blues could lose the services of highly-rated academy prospect, Aurelien Guernier, in the summer window.

In recent years, the Second City outfit has prided itself on the strong crop of youngsters who have come through the ranks at the Knighthead Performance Centre, with the most obvious name on this particular front being Real Madrid and England sensation, Jude Bellingham.

In recent days, Birmingham were able to tie down homegrown deputy goalkeeper, Brad Mayo, to a new contract until the summer of 2028, with the option of a further year's extension.

Guernier, meanwhile, is out-of-contract on June 30th as things stand, with Galetti's update stating that whilst Blues are doing their utmost to agree fresh terms with the winger, it is a situation which has alerted many clubs further up the food chain.

Although unnamed, he claims that two Premier League and Ligue 1 sides have submitted free transfer offers to the 18-year-old, whilst sides from Belgium, Portugal and Italy are also keeping tabs at this moment in time.

The versatile attacker has impressed in the Premier League 2 for the club's Under-21s this season, scoring three times and posting one assist in 15 outings, as well as featuring seven times for the Under-18s in the U18 Premier League.

A dual British and French citizen, Guernier has also been described as "exciting" by his agency, MB Sports UK.

Chris Davies' stance on Birmingham City prospects amid Aurelien Guernier exit talk

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Guernier's progression will certainly have excited Blues fans as they look towards the future. However, Davies' recent comments over why academy prospects have been handed limited minutes this season could add further substance towards a potential exit.

“I always feel that an academy player has got to really deserve it and earn it. I am one of those where I think a token gesture can create a false reality for them – they can be much further away than perhaps a debut that you give them suggests," the Blues boss told Birmingham Live.

“I think there’s players with talent and potential within that. I don’t think there’s any that are really knocking at the door yet."

That comes in spite of the fact Guernier was named in a senior matchday squad for the first time in the 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on March 11th, but was unable to make it onto the pitch.

It is well-documented also that, as well as the building of the Powerhouse Stadium in the coming years, Blues will house their Men's, Women's and Academy teams all under one training facility, which will no doubt give further encouragement to local talent.

However, if they are to not receive ample first-team minutes here and there to aid their development, it also comes as little surprise to see other sides attempt to poach their services for very little funds, which the club could live to regret.