Birmingham City must keep Notts County star on radar amid Hogan and Stansfield situation: View | OneFootball

Birmingham City have enjoyed life under Tony Mowbray since his arrival at St. Andrew's, slowly moving away from the relegation zone after Wayne Rooney's underwhelming tenure in the West Midlands.

Blues have relied heavily on on-loan Fulham striker Jay Stansfield and his goals to propel them up the Championship table, with his influence on the side seemingly crucial for the remainder of the campaign.

But with the 21-year-old's loan deal only until the end of the season, attention may quickly be turning to potential replacements in the summer, with both Scott Hogan and Lukas Jutkiewicz out of contract in June.

Macaulay Langstaff's statistics so far

It's been quite the start to Macaulay Langstaff's maiden season in the Football League, continuing his goal-scoring exploits from his record-breaking National League season with the Magpies last term.

The Stockton-born striker signed from Gateshead in the summer of 2022 for around £50,000 after scoring 30 goals in 42 in all competitions for Mike Williamson's side, with many unsure if Langstaff would be able to make the move up in standard the following season.

But stepped up he did, as he became a huge part in Luke Williams' side's titanic battle with Wrexham to secure that one coveted automatic promotion spot from the fifth tier, amassing 41 goals in 47 appearances, with no penalties, eventually securing the Magpies' promotion at Wembley in their shootout win over Chesterfield.

Along the way, Langstaff became the first player to win the National League's Player of the Month in consecutive months and set a new Notts County club record, and the National League division record, for league goals in a season.

The same questions were asked about the step up in quality as his first season as a Football League player beckoned, but once again, those questions were answered, and in some style too, resulting in interest from the Championship to acquire the player that was previously known as 'the non-league Haaland'.

Blues should return to Macaulay Langstaff following January interest

Stansfield's form in the first half of the season not only impressed Birmingham City fans, but also sides within the division looking for a return to the Premier League.

Despite his loan being until the end of the season, it was reported that Ipswich Town were interested in adding the striker to their already impressive attacking options, while Mowbray's former side Sunderland, were also keen to secure Stansfield's signature, according to Sky Sports' Keith Downie.

With the threat of losing the 21-year-old striker to teams placed higher in the division, Blues were said to have an interest in Notts County striker, Langstaff, with Derby County and Wrexham also interested in the Magpies number nine.

However, it was confirmed by BirminghamLive's Alex Dicken that the move was a non-starter in January, confirming the interest was just a rumour.

But that should not deter any potential interest in the future, with Langstaff proving his goal-scoring prowess in his quite extraordinary rise from non-league.

He is a potent goalscorer that comes alive inside the penalty area, something Blues are seriously lacking from this season's evidence, and they could be able to take him away from Meadow Lane for a fair price in the summer if his form continues.

Having signed a contract extension with the club that will keep him in the East Midlands until the 2026/27 season, but according to HITC, Notts have placed a £1.5 million valuation on the striker, which would be an affordable, yet shrewd piece of business for the Blues to explore in the summer, especially with Hogan and Jutkiewicz out of contract in June.