Birmingham City, Portsmouth & Stoke must react to Scott Twine news at Bristol City | OneFootball

Birmingham City, Portsmouth, and Stoke City should prepare moves for Bristol City midfielder Scott Twine before the summer deadline

Scott Twine could leave Bristol City this summer after failing to start either of the Robins' two opening games of the season under new boss Michael Skubala, as these three Championship clubs must be on alert if an exit is sanctioned soon.

According to Pete O'Rourke via X, numerous Championship sides are monitoring Twine's situation at Bristol City this summer, with the attacking-midfielder failing to start either of their opening games against Walsall or Millwall.

New head coach Skubala has preferred to use Max Bird, Sam Greenwood, Dom Ballard, and Sam Bell ahead of the 27-year-old in those opening two fixtures, as the former Lincoln City boss has implemented a change of shape since his arrival, with the Robins utilising a 4-2-3-1 formation as opposed to their preferred back five from recent years.

In theory, Twine, who is best utilised in that number ten role, or just off the left, ought to thrive with this change, but that hasn't proven to be the case so far.

Should Skubala allow the Englishman, who scored 11 and assisted seven in 45 Championship games last season, to leave, FLW has named three EFL clubs that should prepare moves for the former MK Dons star before the September deadline.

Birmingham City

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Birmingham City have not been afraid to splash the cash in recent years under the ownership of Tom Wagner and Tom Brady, and have already added the likes of Jhon Solis, Luis Vazquez, and Kristoffer Lund Hansen to their ranks for fees this summer.

Following them to St Andrews is Max Bird, with the 25-year-old midfielder ending his three-year stay with Bristol City to join the Blues, as Chris Davies should be back on the phone with the Robins regarding a potential move for Twine.

Birmingham are seemingly looking to add another attacking-midfielder to their ranks before the September deadline, having previously held an interest in Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt before his switch to Hull City, as they have since turned their attentions to Sporting Gijon's Cesar Gelabert.

Seung-Ho Paik started in the more advanced midfield role in Birmingham's goalless draw on the opening day against Sheffield United, with Jay Stansfield out on the left, as Davies looks for more attacking options before the deadline.

Twine, who is capable of offering competition to Stansfield in the ten, or to Demarai Gray on the left, would be an ideal fit.

Having already reached an agreement with the Robins over the transfer of Bird, finding another over a potential switch for Twine ought to be on the cards, and unlikely to break the bank; the former MK Dons midfielder would be an ideal fit at St Andrews this summer.

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Portsmouth have notoriously never been big spenders under the Eisner ownership, and though they parted ways with £3 million to bring Serbian striker Marko Milovanovic in from Almeria, £2.5 million to bring back Abu Kamara from Hull City, and £2 million to sign Estonian midfielder Rocco Shein, it would take an even greater fee to prise Twine away from Ashton Gate, one would imagine.

Adrian Segecic is almost certainly Pompey's most valuable asset, certainly in an attacking sense, and with the Aussie capable of playing either through the middle or on the left, a spot for Twine in the starting XI could open up.

John Mousinho can deploy the likes of Luke Brooke-Smith, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Josh Murphy, and John Swift in those similar final third roles, but with over a century of Championship games under his belt and 18 direct goal contributions just last campaign, Twine blows them out of the water.

At 27, Twine ought to be entering his prime, and having seemingly fallen out of favour at Ashton Gate, the Englishman is more than capable of becoming the main man for a side in the Championship, and Portsmouth should look to benefit from Skubala's decision.

Whether they will be able to afford him remains to be seen, though Mousinho would be remiss to not try and sanction this deal that would provide a huge boost to their survival ambitions this year.

Stoke City

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As per a Football League World exclusive, Stoke City have been linked with a move for free agent Will Smallbone this summer, but face competition from both Burnley and West Bromwich Albion, as Mark Robins looks to add another addition to his final third options.

With Bae Jun-Ho seemingly out of plans in North Staffordshire amid interest from Lyon, the South Korean has been absent from the starting XI in both of their opening fixtures.

The Potters' lack of options in that number ten role was on display for all to see in their season-opening defeat at home to Swansea City, with Tomas Rigo, despite grabbing an assist, struggling to have a sizeable impact on the game.

Million Manhoef has been used there during pre-season, but with a lack of options off the right, the Dutchman was used on the flank instead.

Twine would be able to make that number ten role at the bet365 Stadium his own upon his arrival, seamlessly replacing Bae, and adding some much-needed goal threat in that position that has been sorely lacking for far too long.

In truth, Stoke have not had a free-kick specialist since Xherdan Shaqiri, as Twine would add another threat that has been sorely missed in the Potteries since their Premier League days.