Birmingham City reaction given to 'devastating' Kai Wagner, Kyogo transfer hint | OneFootball

Chris Davies has issued a strong hint on the future of the duo

With the Championship season getting underway in four weeks' time, plenty of clubs in the division will hope to make the required changes to their squad in order to make it a successful 46-game campaign.

The second tier has undergone somewhat of a restructure this season, meaning that there is an even-greater opportunity for several of the league's 24 teams to reach the play-offs.

After an intriguing first season back in the Championship, it is fair to say that Birmingham City will be one of the clubs expected to mount a bid for the top eight, especially if Chris Davies is to continue receiving ample backing from Knighthead Capital Management.

It has recently been reported that the consortium have injected a further £72m into the West Midlands side, although it remains to be seen how much of such funds will be utilised in the transfer market.

So far, Blues have confirmed the permanent addition of Colombian midfielder, Jhon Solis, whilst Dael Fry has also been signed on a free transfer after leaving Middlesbrough.

However, just two games into pre-season, Davies has dropped a significant hint on the futures of Kai Wagner and Kyogo Furuhashi, and Football League World's Birmingham City fan pundit, Jason Moore, certainly has mixed opinions on such developments.

Birmingham City reaction to expected Kai Wagner, Kyogo Furuhashi transfer exits issued

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Wagner was signed for £2m from MLS side, Philadelphia Union, in early January, and immediately became a favourite with supporters for his defensive nous, but also his creative ability after previously being dubbed an 'assist king' Stateside.

However, he is set to return to Subaru Park after just 16 appearances in all competitions for Blues, although they will reportedly receive a profit due to a £3.8m agreement between the two clubs.

Kyogo, meanwhile, was one of several high-profile arrivals at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park last summer, joining from Ligue 1 side, Stade Rennais, on a three-year contract in a deal reportedly worth up to £10m.

The 23-time Japanese international had struggled to return to form at Roahzon Park in a six-month stint after previously scoring 85 times in 165 games for Celtic, and the same misfortune continued last season with Birmingham.

Kyogo, 31, scored just three times in all competitions, with a solitary Championship goal coming against Sheffield Wednesday on January 20th, before his season was curtailed in April due to a recurring shoulder issue.

Both were omitted from Wednesday's 3-0 win in the 'Arthur Cup' against Solihull Moors, with Davies stating afterward: “There’s been a few things happening in the background and that will become clearer in the next 48 hours but tonight wasn’t a night to include them."

Reacting to such news, Moore told FLW: "Kyogo, it's just a shame isn't it.

"There was so much expectation and it just hasn't worked out. I think it's right that we move him on and get his wages off the books, and get someone who's going to do the job.

"I've seen fans saying we should keep him for another season, but not for me with the money we paid and the wages he's been on. He's not been good enough," he stated.

"Wagner, however, I am devastated about that," Moore revealed. "He's been fantastic since he came in.

"It looks like he's going back for family reasons, and I can't blame him. Family comes before football.

"It's a big loss for the club as he's been fantastic since he came in. He was probably the best left-back in the league after signing, so losing Wagner is massive.

"Replacing him for the pennies we spent on him is going to be really, really tough. Wagner is a massive loss."

Birmingham City fans will likely agree with Kai Wagner, Kyogo verdict

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Of course, some will have hoped to see Kyogo attempt to turn his fortunes around if his fitness issues are put to bed, but the truth of the matter is that Davies' attacking department is still well-stacked after the January signing of August Priske, which already saw the experienced figure fall down the pecking order.

He is also reportedly earning a £40,000 per week salary, which is a hefty sum of cash to be paying a player not guaranteed to start, or impact the majority of matches at this moment in time.

Wagner, meanwhile, could be a crucial loss given his attributes in both an attacking and defensive sense, even if both Alex Cochrane and Lee Buchanan have returned to fitness in pre-season.

As such, it will be interesting to see what avenue Davies explores when it comes to filling the void which looks to be left by the 29-year-old.